Richard Hayne (born May 26, 1947) is the president and CEO of Urban Outfitters, an American chain of clothing retailers. He has been the chairman and president since 1976 and the CEO since the retirement of Glen Senk in 2012. At a net worth of $1.8 billion, Hayne is the 262nd richest person in the U.S., according to the 2008 Forbes 400 ranking of the 400 richest Americans by net worth. He is included in the Top 40 richest people in Pennsylvania.
Early life and education
Hayne is a 1969 graduate of Lehigh University with a degree in anthropology.
Career
He co-founded Urban Outfitters, Inc., in 1970 with former wife, Judy Wicks. The couple divorced a year later. The first store was located on the campus of the University of Pennsylvania. Today, the company operates over 400 stores under four brands: Urban Outfitters, Free People, Anthropologie and Terrain, a gardening brand which has standalone stores in Westport, Connecticut, and Glen Mills, Pennsylvania.
Personal life
Hayne’s current wife, Margaret Hayne, joined Urban Outfitters in August 1982. He and his wife have been criticized for donating about $13,000 to then-Senator Rick Santorum until 2006, when Santorum lost his seat to Bob Casey, Jr. They also came under fire after Urban Outfitters hastily retracted a shirt advocating support for same-sex marriage in the wake of the passage of California’s Prop 8 in 2008. The company later partnered with the National Center for Lesbian Rights to release a different shirt expressing support for marriage equality in 2009. He has avoided stating his own views on homosexuality. The company also partner with gay youtuber Connor Franta to sell a limited clothing line at the 8 largest stores to raise money for GLSEN.
Richard Hayne
Chairman, President & Chief Executive Officer, Urban Outfitters
Considered as one of the top 40 richest people in Pennsylvania, Richard Hayne is currently serving as the Chief Executive officer and President of Urban Outfitters, one of the largest chain of clothing retailers in the US. Since 1976, Richard Hayne has serving as the company’s Chairman of the Board and the retirement of Glen Senk led him to sit as the company’s president in January 2012.
Urban Outfitters was founded by Richard Hayne in 1970 together with his former wife Judy Wicks. In 2012, the company is operating in more than 200 stores under three known brands, Anthropologie, Urban Outfitters and Free People. Richard Hayne has an estimated net worth of $1.24 billion in May 2016 according to Forbes.