Nike

Executive summary about Nike by Korky Vann

Ever heard of Nike? In 1971, Johnson made an incalculable contribution to the company: One night, he dreamed of Nike, the Greek goddess of victory, and suggested the name to his bosses. The Swoosh trademark was created by a graphic-design student from Portland State University named Carolyn Davidson.
By pouring a liquid rubber compound into his wife's waffle iron, Bowerman created an innovative running-shoe sole. The company unveiled Nike "Moon Shoes" featuring the Waffle sole for athletes competing at the U.S. Olympic Trials in Eugene, Ore., in 1972.
A growing number of elite athletes competed in Nike footwear. Runner Mark Covert was the first athlete to wear Nike shoes across a finish line. Nike shoes got their first endorsement by a professional athlete when Romanian tennis personality Ilie Nastase signed on to wear Nikes on the court. The result was Nike Air cushioning, which hit stores in 1979.
In 1980, Nike went public, revenues topped $1 billion for the first time in 1986. The company signed golfing phenom Tiger Woods in 1996. In 1999, Bill Bowerman, Nike's co-founder, died at age 88. Headquartered in Beaverton, Ore., Nike remains one of the largest and most successful companies operating today.