The President of Nike Speaks to COB Students and Faculty
The second speaker in the Dean’s Convocation Series, Charlie Denson, the president of Nike brand, recently shared his personal success strategies with an audience of business students and faculty. Denson encouraged students to follow their heart when making career choices. He commented that his decision to join Nike was simple. As a self–avowed "sports nut," he simply followed his passion. Denson later made decisions to accept new positions with the company based on his readiness to do the job and his ability to continue to learn.
Denson earned a bachelor’s degree in marketing at Utah State University in 1978. He started with Nike as assistant manager of The Athletic Department, the first Nike-owned retail store, in 1979. Denson’s movement up the corporate ladder culminated with his appointment as Nike’s co-president in 2001. Since that time Nike has generated record breaking revenues.
Nike, the company named after the mythological winged Greek goddess of victory, originated with the humble quest for a durable running shoe. Today, Nike is the largest athletic apparel manufacturer in the world. The company’s current success is measured in billions of dollars and its market share grows as it continues to penetrate the global market. As Denson explained, Nike is about the power of human spirit and the ability to dream. And, the true power of dreams is that they never stop.