Mark Parker is Nike’s third chief executive officer. He succeeded William Perez after the latter resigned in January 2006.

Parker was born in 1955 in Poughkeepsie, New York. He earned his bachelor’s degree in political science from Penn State University in 1977. In 1979, He joined Nike Inc. as a footwear designer in the Research and Development facility in Exeter, New Hampshire.

During his tenure at Nike Inc. Mark Parker has held various positions. Before he became the CEO, he served as the co-president of the Nike brand beginning March 2001. In 2008, it was estimated that Parker had a $7.6 million salary. Affirming his commitment to ensure that Nike will remain environmentally conscious, Parker and his team launched the first ever “Green Shoe” after 10 year of development. This creation was Nike’s Clean Air Jordan, footwear that follows the principle of sustainability.

This dedication to pursue a vision made Mark Parker the perfect candidate to man the helm of Nike Inc. Philip Knight, the founder and board chairman of Nike, stated that “Mark has a proven track record in driving creativity, innovation and growth. He’s an experienced, talented executive and has played an instrumental role in building our business and making the Nike brand as strong as it is today. Mark is the right person to drive our business forward.”

Ever since Mark Parker joined Nike Inc. his specialty and capabilities were recognized in product designing, development, brand, and marketing management. He is well known as the visionary for the Nike Air franchise and other leading designs. His responsibility is no small feat; as the one manning the helm of Nike Inc., he has run the company’s multibillion dollar apparel and footwear business for more than 30 years.