Nike was co-founded by these two Army veterans
By Joel Searls
Posted on Oct 23, 2024
Reviewed By Tessa Robinson
Nike is one of the greatest global sports equipment and apparel companies on the face of the earth. The company has partnered with legendary world-class athletes to perform on the world sports stage with his sports equipment. Co-founder Phil Knight attended the University of Oregon and then Stanford for his MBA. He grew up in Portland, Oregon, and ran track at the U of O. His first job out of undergrad was as a CPA and then as an accounting professor at Portland State University. Importantly, before he went to Stanford, Knight joined the U.S. Army in 1959 and was a Distinguished Military Graduate. While at grad school he planned to import high quality and low-cost running shoes from Japan to the U.S. market. Post school he discovered the Tiger running shoes that were made in Japan and met with the owner of the company. He made his first deal with them and brought the Tiger shoes to the Western U.S. The shoes were usually sold from the trunk of his Plymouth Valiant. Knight served one year in the Army on active duty and then seven more years in the Army Reserve. Yes, the co-founder of Nike made his business while serving and continued to serve in the Reserves once established.
Knightâs co-founder was his college track coach and WWII veteran Bill Bowerman. Bowerman was a highly acclaimed coach by having trained 31 Olympic athletes, 51 All-Americans, 12 American record holders and 22 NCAA champions. Bowerman was in ROTC in college and also served in the Army Reserve. He joined the Army as a second lieutenant days after Pearl Harbor was attacked and served on the European Front during the war with the 10th Mountain Division. Bowerman earned a Silver Star and four Bronze stars during his service. He returned home stateside and began coaching.
https://www.wearethemighty.com/history/nike-was-co-founded-by-these-two-army-veterans/
