Jim Keane

Responsible for all domestic and international business operations, Jim Keane became chief executive officer of Steelcase Inc. in March 2014. He is the ninth person to lead the company in its 103-year history.

Keane most recently served as president and chief operating officer of Steelcase, a position he was named to in April 2013 in preparation for the CEO role.

As chief operating officer (2012-2014), he was responsible for product design, engineering, manufacturing, sales and distribution for Steelcase and its family of brands around the world.

As president of the Steelcase Group (2006-2012), he held similar responsibilities for the Steelcase, Turnstone, Education, Health, and Details brands in the Americas (the U.S., Canada, Mexico and Latin America) and EMEA (Europe, the Middle East and Africa).

Keane was Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Steelcase Inc. from 2001 through 2006. He has also led the corporate strategy, IT, and research and development functions since joining the company in 1997.

Prior to joining Steelcase, he was a consultant with McKinsey and Company for five years and held positions with Peat Marwick Mitchell and Co. and Motorola Inc.

He serves on the boards of Rockwell Automation, IDEO, and Business and Institutional Furniture Manufacturer’s Association (BIFMA), and the board of trustees of Grand Valley University Foundation, and the executive board of Design Futures Council.

Jim earned a Bachelor of Science degree in accountancy from the University of Illinois, and a Master's in Management degree from the Kellogg Graduate School of Management at Northwestern University.