Bio: Steve Green, Hobby Lobby President

Steve Green has served as president of Hobby Lobby, one of the world's largest privately owned arts and crafts retailers, since 2004. Founded by his father, David, in 1972 in 300 square feet of retail space, the chain has grown to 525 stores in 41 states and, along with its affiliated companies, employs some 20,000 people companywide.

Green began working for the family business as a store operations supervisor after graduating from high school in 1981 and became the company's executive vice president in 2000. Today, Hobby Lobby and its affiliates have combined sales of more than $3 billion. Affiliated companies include Hemispheres and Mardel Stores, a Christian bookstore and educational supply chain led by his brother, Mart.

In November 2009, Hobby Lobby purchased its first biblical artifact. Today Green devotes much of his time to what has become known as The Green Collection, among the world's newest and largest private collections of rare biblical texts and artifacts. The collection of more than 30,000 biblical antiquities will ultimately find a permanent home in a national, non-sectarian Bible museum in Washington that will enable visitors to experience it year-round. The national museum will also house the Green Scholars Initiative, which brings together established and young scholars to pioneer groundbreaking research on items in the collection.

Green authored his first book - Faith in America - in 2011. Published by Looking Glass Books, Faith in America tells the compelling history behind the advertisements that Hobby Lobby boldly places in newspapers across the nation each year to share the real meaning of Christmas, Easter and Independence Day. His new book , The bible in America, will be available in Hobby Lobby stores in June 2013.

Green and his wife, Jackie, have been married for 29 years and reside in Oklahoma City, the location of Hobby Lobby's headquarters. Their family includes a son, five daughters (including a daughter adopted from China in 2008), a daughter-in-law, a son-in-law and two grandchildren.

Steve Green Quick Facts

• President: Hobby Lobby, one of the world's largest privately owned arts and crafts retailers
• Hobby Lobby headquarters: Oklahoma City
• Previous positions: store operations supervisor and executive vice president
• Employees: 23,000
• Combined sales: more than $3 billion
• Author: Faith in America (Looking Glass Books, 2011)
  
• Passion: collecting rare biblical texts artifacts that tell the history of the Bible and its impact on every facet of life throughout the ages
• Online: HobbyLobby.com