Stark Industries is a multinational industrial company owned by Tony Stark, and is the largest tech conglomerate in the world. Founded in 1939 by Howard Stark, the elder Stark ran the company from its inception up until his death in 1991, after which Obadiah Stane was appointed interim CEO. with Tony Stark officially assuming the position shortly after at the age of 21.
Under Stark's control, the company flourished financially for nearly two decades; however, when Stark discovered that Stane was selling their weapons to terrorist groups around the world, he shut down their lucrative weapons division. In 2010, Stark appointed Pepper Potts as the company's CEO after realizing that he was dying from palladium poisoning, a position Stark allowed Potts to maintain after he engineered his own recovery.
This industrial/weapons company was founded by Howard Stark during the early twentieth century, a great pioneer in different types of technology and constantly helping the United States Armed Forces with different and innovative weapons, helping the government to create the Super Soldier Serum. Years later, he created an Arc Reactor along with Anton Vanko, a source which provided free, pure and efficient energy for Stark Industries' main plant.
After the death of Howard in 1991 at the hands of HYDRA, the company was inherited by Tony Stark, with the help of Obadiah Stane, although Stane was appointed interim CEO immediately after Howard's death before Tony could officially assume the position of CEO.
Stark was kidnapped by the terrorist organization known as the Ten Rings in Afghanistan, and developed a suit of armor powered with a miniaturized Arc Reactor to escape captivity. Upon his return to Malibu, he decided the company would no longer produce weaponry, as he discovered his captors possessed illegal Stark tech.
Stark further developed his armor to create new models, such as the Iron Man Armor: Mark III and started looking for and destroying stolen Stark tech, which he later discovered Obadiah Stane was selling behind his back. Stark faced Stane, who had created his own suit of armor, and killed him in battle.
Six months later, Stark reinaugurated the Stark Expo, and was attacked by Anton Vanko's son Ivan, who thought Howard Stark was responsible for Anton's misery and death, although Anton was deported because he tried to use the reactor to his own profit. Though panned by critics such as Bill O'Reilly, Stark appointed Pepper Potts as leader of Stark Industries.
Stark later opened a new base for Stark Industries in New York City, building the Stark Tower, which was powered by a new prototype Arc Reactor inside the tower. Meanwhile, Potts procured permits to build a Stark Tower in Washington, D.C. Dissatisfied with his previous status as "Iron Man's bodyguard", Happy Hogan was hired as head of security in Stark Industries Headquarters.
Following the downfall of S.H.I.E.L.D. and the hiring of Maria Hill, Stark Industries made privatized security a part of its services. A bomb manufactured by Stark Industries landed in the apartment building of the Maximoff family, failing to detonate but still killing the parents of twins Wanda and Pietro Maximoff, causing them to hate Tony Stark and initially help Ultron. Sometime after the Battle of Sokovia, Stark Industries announced new scholarships for promising students from urban city schools.
Owner:
Tony Stark
CEO:
Pepper Potts
Employees:
Happy Hogan Head of Security
Bambi Arbogast Receptionist and Secretary
William Ginter Riva Scientist
Maria Hill
Former Employees:
Obadiah Stane Former CEO
Natalie Rushman Assistant to the CEO
