Howard Schultz, Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer of Starbucks Corporation (SBUX), will ring the NASDAQ Opening Bell remotely from its first store at Pike Place Market in Seattle, Washington.

Starbucks will kick off its 40-year anniversary with a global celebration of four decades of great coffee and connections with valued customers, store partners (employees), and the neighborhoods in which Starbucks does business.

Howard Schultz will reflect on the brand's 40-year history and talk about plans for the company's future, including its "Global Month of Service," to be hosted throughout the month of April 2011 as part of an ongoing commitment to inspire and invest in community service. Starbucks partners (employees) and customers around the world will dedicate their time and energy to help create thriving neighborhoods, teaming up with national NGOs (HandsOn Network in the U.S.) and local organizations around the world to identify and organize service opportunities to best meet the needs of each community with a focus on Starbucks existing priorities around youth and the environment.

The ceremony will be broadcast live on the NASDAQ MarketSite seven-story tower in Times Square and via satellite to national and international media.

The Opening Bell is a ceremonial event that represents NASDAQ's virtual market model. As a result, The NASDAQ Stock Market can be opened from any location bringing together investors and market participants from around the world to mark the beginning of the trading day.