# Gordon Segal

> Gordon Segal co-founded Crate & Barrel with his wife, Carole, in Chicago in 1962 and led it as CEO until 2008. Their approach combined direct sourcing of European housewares, accessible design and inviting store displays. He later founded Prairie Management Group and, with Carole, supported design education at Northwestern University.

- **Role:** Founder at Prairie Management Group
- **Organizations:** Crate & Barrel, Prairie Management Group, Northwestern University, Segal Design Institute, National Retail Federation, Art Institute of Chicago, Chicago History Museum, Lyric Opera of Chicago, Window to the World Communications
- **From:** Chicago, United States
- **Nationality:** American
- **Education:** University of Pennsylvania, Wharton School, Bachelor of Commerce, Northwestern University
- **Known for:** Co-founded Crate & Barrel and led its development from one Chicago store into an international home furnishings retailer., 2007 World Retail Congress Hall of Fame inductee., Inducted into the American Furniture Hall of Fame.

## Career timeline

- **1960** — Graduated from Northwestern; worked as a management trainee at the Four Seasons in New York before returning to Chicago and real estate.
- **1961** — Married Carole Browe; their Caribbean honeymoon exposed them to competitively priced European housewares sold through direct importing.
- **1962** — Co-founded Crate & Barrel in Chicago’s Old Town with Carole and $17,000 in borrowed startup funds.
- **1970** — Acquired Massachusetts furniture retailer The Upper Story, as recalled in Kellogg’s 2024 interview.
- **1998** — Sold a majority stake in Crate & Barrel to Otto Group.
- **2007** — Inducted into the World Retail Congress Hall of Fame; the Segals’ gift established Northwestern’s Segal Design Institute.
- **2008** — Retired as Crate & Barrel CEO after leading the company since 1962.
- **2010** — Submitted written testimony to a joint congressional hearing about postal costs and catalog marketing.
- **2014** — Advised interim CEO Adrian Mitchell and helped with the search for a permanent CEO; the Segals announced an approximately $10 million planned gift to Northwestern.
- **2025** — Participated in a Kellogg groundbreaking ceremony and appeared on The Reboot Chronicles.

## Achievements

- Co-founded Crate & Barrel and led its development from one Chicago store into an international home furnishings retailer.
- 2007 World Retail Congress Hall of Fame inductee.
- Inducted into the American Furniture Hall of Fame.
- Recipient of the Cooper-Hewitt Design Patron Award and National Retail Federation Gold Medal Award, as listed by Prairie Management Group.
- Gordon and Carole Segal were named 2014 Entrepreneurial Champions by Chicago startup hub 1871.
- Supported the creation of Northwestern’s Segal Design Institute in 2007.

## Latest updates

- **2025-07** — Appeared on The Reboot Chronicles in an episode published July 16 about Crate & Barrel’s origins, growth, leadership transitions and store culture.
- **2025-05** — Participated in the May 14 groundbreaking for a new Northwestern Kellogg education building.

## Links

- Website: https://prairiemgt.com/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gordon-segal-304100b

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Profile page: https://yespress.io/gordon-segal
Published by YesPress — https://yespress.io
Last updated: 2026-10-22