Edward 'Ed' Stack is the son of Richard 'Dick' Stack, who founded Dick's Sporting Goods in 1948 as a single bait and tackle shop in Binghamton, New York, using $300 in starting capital when he was 19 years old. Stack began working in the family business at age 13 and progressed through various roles. He holds a Bachelor of Arts/Science degree from St. John Fisher College. Upon his father's retirement, Stack assumed the role of CEO, leading the company through its initial public offering in 2002 and significant expansion to over 850 stores generating more than $13 billion in annual sales. He stepped down as CEO in 2021 but continues as Executive Chairman of Dick's Sporting Goods, the largest omni-channel sporting goods retailer in the United States. Following the 2018 Parkland school shooting, he became a prominent voice against gun violence, directing the company to stop selling assault-style rifles and high-capacity magazines company-wide, and in 2019, eliminating the entire hunting category, including firearms, from 125 stores. This positioned him as a key opponent of the gun lobby, though he had not initially sought an activist role.