Article · Wikipedia archive · Last revised Jul 18, 2026

Matthew Shay

Matthew R. Shay is an American trade association executive currently serving as the president and CEO of the National Retail Federation. He is a frequent guest on CNBC, Fox Business Network, and Bloomberg Television.

Last revised
Jul 18, 2026
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Matthew Shay
Born1962 (age 63–64)
EducationWittenberg University (BA)
Ohio State University (JD)
Georgetown University (MBA)
OccupationCEO of National Retail Federation

Matthew R. Shay (born 1962) is an American trade association executive currently serving as the president and CEO of the National Retail Federation.123 He is a frequent guest on CNBC,4 Fox Business Network, and Bloomberg Television.5

Education

Shay is a graduate of Wittenberg University in Springfield, Ohio and The Ohio State University College of Law, and holds a master's degree in business administration from the Georgetown University McDonough School of Business. He also holds an honorary doctor of humane letters from Wittenberg University and an honorary degree of professional designation in merchandise marketing from the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising.6789

Career

Before joining the National Retail Federation, Shay served as president and CEO of the International Franchise Association (IFA). Under his leadership, IFA restored the flow of credit to cash-strapped retail and other franchise businesses during the national recession.101112

Shay joined IFA in 1993, serving in a variety of capacities, including executive vice president and chief counsel, before being named president and CEO in 2004. Prior to joining IFA, Shay was assistant general counsel at the Ohio Council of Retail Merchants in Columbus.1314

Awards and honors

Shay serves as chairman of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Association Committee of 100 and is a member of the board at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, So Others Might Eat (SOME) and the Ireland Funds America. He previously served as chairman of the ASAE Board of Directors and as a member of the board at the U.S. Capitol Historical Society1516171819 and the Bryce Harlow Foundation.

In 2016, Shay received the International Franchise Association Dennis Wieczorek Free Enterprise Award.202122 Association TRENDS named Shay the 2019 Association Executive of the Year, and he has been recognized by CEO Update as one of the top 50 nonprofit chief executives in Washington, D.C.23 Shay has been recognized by CEO Update as the 2020 trade association CEO of the year. He received The Ireland Funds' Business Leadership Award in 2020, and in 2018, Shay was honored with the Father Horace McKenna Humanitarian of the Year from SOME and the Business Leadership Award from The Fund for American Studies.2425

References

References

  1. "The transformation of the NRF — and how Matthew Shay envisions the future". Retail Dive. Retrieved December 20, 2018.
  2. "At ASAE17, leaders feel compelled to address racism | CEO Update". www.ceoupdate.com. Retrieved February 21, 2019.
  3. Petro, Greg. "Q&A With NRF's Matthew Shay On The Future Of Retail". Forbes. Retrieved May 9, 2019.
  4. "Watch CNBC's full interview with National Retail Federation CEO Matt Shay". CNBC. Retrieved September 1, 2023.
  5. "Why You're Going to Pay for the Online Return Mess". Bloomberg.com. November 22, 2022. Retrieved September 1, 2023.
  6. "LinkedIn". LinkedIn.
  7. Beria, Elyas (September 20, 2011). "Tuesday Profile: The voice of retail". TheHill. Retrieved January 4, 2019.
  8. "2013 Commencement Recognition | Wittenberg University". www.wittenberg.edu. Retrieved February 8, 2019.
  9. "2013 Commencement Recognition | Wittenberg University". www.wittenberg.edu. Retrieved February 21, 2019.
  10. "Profile: Matthew Shay, Int'l Franchise Assn | CEO Update". www.ceoupdate.com. Retrieved January 4, 2019.
  11. "Conversational Commerce: How Matthew Shay views the state of the retail industry". Retail Dive. Retrieved January 4, 2019.
  12. "Wednesday Q+A with Matt Shay". National Journal. Retrieved February 21, 2019.
  13. "US Chamber Profile". US Chamber. May 17, 2017.
  14. "Conversational Commerce: How Matthew Shay views the state of the retail industry". Retail Dive. Retrieved February 21, 2019.
  15. "Shay to head Association Committee of 100 | CEO Update". www.ceoupdate.com. Retrieved December 17, 2018.
  16. "Board of Directors". US Chamber. December 31, 2013.
  17. "Leadership :: So Others Might Eat". www.some.org. Retrieved December 17, 2018.
  18. "Staff & Board". The U.S. Capitol Historical Society. July 11, 2012. Retrieved December 17, 2018.
  19. "Association Committee of 100- December 2018 Meeting". www.cvent.com. Retrieved February 8, 2019.
  20. "TFAS 29th Annual Scholarship Dinner". The Fund for American Studies. Retrieved December 17, 2018.
  21. "Dinner Gala". Some.org.
  22. Lippman, Daniel. "BIRTHDAY OF THE DAY: Matthew Shay, National Retail Federation president and CEO". POLITICO. Retrieved February 8, 2019.
  23. "Salute to Association Excellence: Washington, DC". Retrieved January 30, 2019.
  24. "Washington DC National Gala 2020". The Ireland Funds. Retrieved March 5, 2020.
  25. L'Italien, Kiki. "2020 Association Leadership Award Winners Announced". Association Chat. Retrieved March 5, 2020.