Charles Butt

Charles Clarence Butt was born on February 3, 1938, the son of Howard Edward Butt Sr. and Mary Elizabeth Holdsworth, and the grandson of Florence Butt, who founded H-E-B in 1905.

Butt graduated from University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School with a bachelor's degree. He earned an MBA from Harvard Business School.

Butt became chairman, CEO, and president of the H-E-B Grocery Company in 1971.

In late 2019, Butt and his family had a net worth of over US$10 billion, according to Forbes.

In 2024, Butt donated about 75 pieces from his personal art collection to museums in Texas.

Butt frequently donates to political campaigns, primarily those of Republicans but has donated to various Democratic campaigns as well.

Butt pledged $50 million to the Raising Texas Teachers scholarship fund to support the training of Texas public school teachers.

In January 2017, he pledged $100 million to Texas public education and created The Holdsworth Center, named after his mother Mary Elizabeth Butt (née Holdsworth).

In September 2017, Butt donated $5 million to J. J. Watt's Houston Hurricane Harvey relief fund.

In May 2018, Butt pledges to The Giving Pledge and writes in his release that he intends to help children and teachers.

In June 2022, the Butt family and H-E-B donated $10 million to help build a new elementary school in Uvalde, Texas after the mass shooting at Robb Elementary School.

In March 2024, Butt donated $500,000 to the State of Texas Agricultural Relief (STAR) Fund to aid Texas farmers, ranchers, and other agricultural businesses affected by the wildfires there.