The creator of the offices supplies and retail business passed away aged 66 in Massachusetts after suffering from cancer.
Stemberg was inspired to create Staples after driving around Boston looking for printer ribbons on Independence Day weekend in 1985, when all the stores were closed. He worked formerly as a grocery executive in New England.
Staples accrued $22.5 billion (€20.4 billion) in revenue and had 83,0000 employees last year. Former Massachusetts state Governor and US Presidential candidate Mitt Romney described Stemberg as one of the state’s great business leaders.