Founder and CEO
Uncle Sam's Army Navy Outfitters

Richard Geist believes retailing requires two aspects from him: Be unique and specialized, and surround yourself with team members who think like owners and act like partners. The philosophy seems to be paying off, as Crain's magazine and ICSC call Uncle Sam's "the only true authentic fashion concept in the market."

A Canadian native, Geist attended McGill University in Montreal and various schools abroad and raced bicycles for team Canada throughout Europe before founding Uncle Sam's Army Navy Outfitters in 1995.

From the first store in Buffalo, the company has grown to include three stores, online retailing, a 500,000-square-foot warehouse and distribution center, recycled offices, and 3one, a VIP shipping and customer service office housing a reDesigN Studio. The company plans to add more locations through 2015 and to establish beach head stores in major markets.

Geist was elected to the Board of Village Alliance (BID) in 1998 and in 2001 was very involved in supporting Sept. 11 heroes.