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Robert Stiller changed coffee as we know it through his inventions and business acumen.
In 1972, he co-founded E-Z Wider, gaining entrepreneurial experience that would shape his future ventures.
His pivotal achievement came in 1981 with the founding of Keurig Green Mountain Coffee Roasters, which later merged with Dr Pepper.
The company introduced the Keurig single-serve coffee maker, fundamentally changing home coffee brewing from a pot-based process to an individual serving system.
Bob Stiller's start in coffee began with rolling papers.
In the early 1970s, he co-founded E-Z Wider, manufacturing papers for tobacco products.
But a transformative moment at Vermont's Sugarbush ski resort—a single cup of exceptional coffee—sparked his next venture.
In 1981, that sip led Stiller to establish Green Mountain Coffee Roasters.
This company, later known as Keurig Green Mountain, would fundamentally reshape how Americans brew and consume coffee.
Bob Stiller led Green Mountain Coffee Roasters (GMCR) through three distinct roles.
He served as President and CEO until 2007, then as Board Chairman until 2012, and finally as Director until 2013.
Bob Stiller transformed Green Mountain Coffee by seeing opportunities others missed.
He recognized that consumers wanted both quality coffee and convenience, then built his company around meeting these specific needs.
His key insight—investing in Keurig's single-serve brewing system—changed how millions make coffee at home.
Green Mountain Coffee grew from a small Vermont roaster into a major force in the coffee industry.
Bob Stiller's deal with ExxonMobil placed Green Mountain Coffee Roasters' products in 1,600 ExxonMobil convenience stores.
This partnership pushed the coffee company from a regional seller into a national brand, widening both its distribution network and revenue streams.
Bob Stiller's 48.5 percent ownership of Green Mountain Coffee Roasters was worth $89 million at its peak, all due to the company's dramatic expansion under its founder's leadership.
Bob Stiller built businesses that measured success beyond profits.
He wove Appreciative Inquiry principles into his leadership, teaching managers to spot and amplify employee strengths rather than fix weaknesses.
This approach transformed his companies into engines of social progress.
Bob Stiller earned two major business awards in 2001.
Forbes magazine named him their first "Entrepreneur of the Year," recognizing how he transformed his industry.
Investors Business Daily placed him among their "Top 10 Leaders and Successful CEOs," marking his concrete impact on business practices.
The Stillers invested $10 million in Champlain College to strengthen leadership education.
Bob and Christine Stiller's donation targets specific outcomes: developing practical management techniques for both businesses and community organizations.
Via their family foundation, the Stillers focus on measurable impact in Vermont, creating programs that equip individuals with skills in leadership, education, and community building.
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