Early Life and Education
Stewart Allen Resnick was born in New Jersey on December 24, 1936, and later moved to California with his family in the 1950s. He graduated from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) with a Bachelor of Science degree in 1959 and a Juris Doctor degree from UCLA School of Law. During law school, he launched his first business, a janitorial services company, which he sold in 1969.
Rise to Success
Resnick's entrepreneurial journey took off when he purchased The Franklin Mint, a subsidiary of Roll International Corporation, in 1986, and served as its CEO and chairman until its sale in 2006. However, he is best known for his role as the President and Chairman of The Wonderful Company (formerly Roll Global) since 1979. Under his leadership, The Wonderful Company has grown into a significant player in the food and beverage industry, owning brands like POM Wonderful, FIJI Water, Wonderful Pistachios & Almonds, and Wonderful Halos. Resnick’s vision transformed pistachios and pomegranates from niche agricultural products into global phenomena.
Key Business Strategies
Resnick’s business acumen includes strategic acquisitions, vertical integration, and innovative branding. His acquisition of Fiji Water and implementation of marketing strategies increased its sales significantly. He has focused on producing healthy products and giving back to the community. His company utilizes advanced cloud platforms and business intelligence tools.
Philanthropy
Beyond business, Resnick is a committed philanthropist, investing over $2.5 billion with his wife Lynda in initiatives focused on education, health, wellness, community development, and sustainability. This includes major gifts to institutions such as the California Institute of Technology (Caltech), where they established the Resnick Sustainability Institute, and the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA). In 2019, they pledged $750 million to Caltech for climate research. In 2022, they pledged $50 million to the Technion-Israel Institute of Technology for sustainability research.