Background
Mark Parker was born in Poughkeepsie, New York to Bruce Parker and Elizabeth Parker and earned his bachelor"s degree in Political Science at Penn State University in 1977.
Mark Parker was born in Poughkeepsie, New York to Bruce Parker and Elizabeth Parker and earned his bachelor"s degree in Political Science at Penn State University in 1977.
Pennsylvania State University.
He ran on the Penn State track and cross country teams. Parker joined Nike in 1979 as a footwear designer based in its R&Doctorate facility in Exeter, New Hampshire. He became Division Vice President in charge of development in 1987, Corporate Vice President in 1989, General Manager in 1993, and Vice President of Global Footwear in 1998.
Prior to becoming vice president of Nike, he served as co-president (with Charlie Denson) of the Nike brand beginning in March 2001.
He still participates in shoe design, most notably on the Nike HTM project, creating limited edition footwear alongside Nike designer Tinker Hatfield and creative consultant Hiroshi Fujiwara. He has committed to ensuring that Nike remain environmentally conscious.
After 10 years of work, Parker and his team launched the first "Green Shoe" that adheres to the principles of sustainability. He is also responsible for other brands in Nike"s portfolio, including Converse Incorporated. and Hurley International.
When he receives his promotion his salary will increase by 25%.
In 2015, Mark Parker was named Fortune"s Businessperson of the year. lieutenant was announced in June 2015 that Mark Parker will be replacing Philosophy Knight as company chairman of Nike in 2016. Trevor Edwards (president of the Nike brand) will be filling in as Chief Executive Officer.
He is an avid arts supporter with an extensive ongoing collection of modern, low brow and underground contemporary art, along with many other one-of-a-kind collectibles.
In June 7, 2012 popular culture website So Bad So Good showcased "The Unreal Artwork Inside the Office of Nike Chief Executive Officer Mark Parker".
Notable artists from Parker"s collection include Andy Warhol, Adonna Khare, Mark Ryden, Todd Schorr, Tim Biskup, Eric White, Sebastian Kruger, Charles Krafft, Glennray Tutor,and Michael Leavitt. Other notable items include rare movie ephemera such as original props and models from Mars Attacks! (1996), The Day the Earth Stood Still (1951), Back to the Future (1989), and Batman (1989).