Nike
*If you have a body, you are an athlete
When Nike co-founder Bill Bowerman made this observation many years ago, he was defining how he viewed the endless possibilities for human potential in sports. He set the tone and direction for a young company created in 1972, called Nike, and today those same words inspire a new generation of Nike employees.
It started with a handshake between two visionary Oregonians - Bowerman and his University of Oregon runner Phil Knight. They and the people they hired evolved and grew the company that became Nike from a U.S.-based footwear distributor to a global marketer of athletic footwear, apparel and equipment that is unrivaled in the world.
Along the way, Nike has established a strong Brand Portfolio with several wholly-owned subsidiaries including Cole Haan, Converse Inc., Hurley International LLC, NIKE Golf, and Umbro Ltd.
Nike's world headquarters is located near Beaverton, Oregon, a suburb of Portland. So while the Pacific Northwest is the birthplace to Nike, today operates in more than 160 countries around the globe. Through Nike's suppliers, shippers, retailers and other service providers, Nike directly or indirectly employes nearly one million people.
That includes more than 44,000 Nike employees across six continents, each of whom make their own contribution to fulfill Nike's mission statement: to bring inspiration and innovation to every athlete* in the world.