--- title: "Student Leadership: Branding Nike" description: Former Nike Brand President Charlie Denson tells St. Luke's School students about his early career working in a little chain of sneaker stores called Nike—and the wild ride to becoming the world's most famous athletic brand. image: https://blog.stlukesct.org/hubfs/181025_Lunch%20%26%20Lead-Charlie%20Denson_1121.jpg --- [![](https://blog.stlukesct.org/hubfs/logo-2025.png)](https://www.stlukesct.org/) [![SLS-Logo-2025-white](https://blog.stlukesct.org/hubfs/SLS-Logo-2025-white.png)](http://www.stlukesct.org/) ![blogleadingvoices banner.jpg](https://blog.stlukesct.org/hs-fs/hubfs/StLukesSchoolDec2016/image/blogleadingvoices%20%20banner.jpg?width=1000&name=blogleadingvoices%20%20banner.jpg "blogleadingvoices banner.jpg") [Inquire](https://stlukesct.myschoolapp.com/page/admissions/apply-to-sls/inquire-online) [Visit](https://www.stlukesct.org/page/admissions/visit-us) [Apply](https://www.stlukesct.org/page/admissions/apply-to-sls) # [Student Leadership: Branding Nike](https://blog.stlukesct.org/nike) by [Kate Parker-Burgard](https://blog.stlukesct.org/author/kate-parker-burgard-director-of-community-connections) ![Kate Parker-Burgard: Director of Community Connections](https://blog.stlukesct.org/hubfs/Headshots%20for%20Authors/Parker-Burgard_Kathryn442.jpg) ### **How Nike Became Nike: Charlie Denson's Leadership Lessons** [Charlie Denson](https://www.bloomberg.com/research/stocks/private/person.asp?personId=292039&privcapId=1056927&previousCapId=1056927&previousTitle=Nike%20Golf,%20Inc.)thought he'd spend a couple of years working at the small sneaker chain in Oregon, and then he'd "find a real job, at a real company." Two years turned into thirty-five and that little chain called [Nike](https://www.nike.com/us/en_us/) grew into the world's most famous athletic brand. Denson shared his incredible journey from Assistant Store Manager to Nike Brand President with St. Luke's students as part of our[ Lunch & Lead](https://www.stlukesct.org/page/center-for-leadership/lunch--lead) series.  St. Luke's parent and trustee [Chris Wearing](https://www.stlukesct.org/page/list-detail?pk=116839&fromId=250352) introduced Denson and his legacy of tying Nike to high profile athletes. Denson and his team created unforgettable branding campaigns featuring high-profile athletes including: [Bo Jackson](https://rotoden.com/2017/10/04/bo-jackson-nike-changed-sports-advertising-industry-forever/), [John McEnroe](https://www.esquire.com/style/mens-accessories/a35110/john-mcenroe-nike-air-trainer-1/), [Kobe Bryant](https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB105649507860753000),  [Michael Jordan](https://deadspin.com/5924825/how-michael-jordan-and-nike-teamed-up-to-conquer-the-world),  [Maria Sharapova](https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2010/jan/12/maria-sharapova-nike-deal), [LeBron James](http://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/14314807/lebron-james-signs-life-deal-nike), and [Tiger Woods](https://abcnews.go.com/Sports/story?id=100563&page=1). Among many questions Denson fielded during Lunch & Lead were two standouts: 1) Which athlete had the biggest impact on Nike?  2) How did the swoosh become synonymous with Nike? Watch Denson's responses below...     **More from former Nike Brand President Charlie Denson:** ![Charlie Denson Mentors at St Lukes Power of Brand Mini-Course_1103](https://blog.stlukesct.org/hs-fs/hubfs/Charlie%20Denson%20Mentors%20at%20St%20Lukes%20Power%20of%20Brand%20Mini-Course_1103.jpg?width=5760&name=Charlie%20Denson%20Mentors%20at%20St%20Lukes%20Power%20of%20Brand%20Mini-Course_1103.jpg)**Charlie Denson mentors entrepreneurial students in St. Luke's [Leadership Lab](https://www.stlukesct.org/page/news-detail?pk=1212979&fromId=230128).**   ![StLukes_CFL_PowerofBrandEvent](https://blog.stlukesct.org/hs-fs/hubfs/StLukes_CFL_PowerofBrandEvent.jpg?width=5760&name=StLukes_CFL_PowerofBrandEvent.jpg)**Charlie Denson and [WW's Gail Tifford](https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/weight-watchers-names-gail-tifford-chief-brand-officer-300593295.html)as panelists at St. Luke's Center for Leadership [Power of Brand](https://www.stlukesct.org/page/News-Detail?pk=1212990) event—moderated by St. Luke's parent and [CNN Anchor Alisyn Camerota](https://www.cnn.com/profiles/alisyn-camerota-profile). **   ![StLukesCFL_Lunch & Lead-Charlie Denson_1132](https://blog.stlukesct.org/hs-fs/hubfs/StLukesCFL_Lunch%20%26%20Lead-Charlie%20Denson_1132.jpg?width=5760&name=StLukesCFL_Lunch%20%26%20Lead-Charlie%20Denson_1132.jpg)**Parent and Trustee Chris Wearing facilitates the CFL's Lunch & Lead with Charlie Denson**   See the full [Lunch & Lead with Charlie Denson Photo Gallery](https://slscommunications.smugmug.com/2018-2019-/Center-for-Leadership-CFL/Lunch-Lead/Lunch-Lead-Charlie-Denson-former-Nike-Brand-President-10-25/) Visit **[St. Luke's Lunch & Lead](https://www.stlukesct.org/page/center-for-leadership/lunch--lead) **to discover more leadership experiences shared by guest speakers from a wide range of industries and fields.  ---   - - - - [![Learn more about St. Luke's - download our brochure](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/2035825/45ec86aa-f07f-4c17-bcfd-1ed3b8453a3e.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/2035825/45ec86aa-f07f-4c17-bcfd-1ed3b8453a3e)         ## Leave a comment ### Get our latest blog posts! ![Kate Parker-Burgard: Director of Community Connections](https://blog.stlukesct.org/hubfs/Headshots%20for%20Authors/Parker-Burgard_Kathryn442.jpg) [Kate Parker-Burgard](https://blog.stlukesct.org/author/kate-parker-burgard-director-of-community-connections) Kate Parker-Burgard is St. Luke's Director of Community Connections and has been at the school since 2003. Previously, she served as Director of St. Luke's Center for Leadership as well as Director of Character Education before assuming her current role in 2023. Kate holds a BA with a concentration in Religion from Hamilton College and a Master of Divinity degree from Union Theological Seminary. She was ordained into the United Methodist Church. She is also a member of the Board of the Foundation 4 Orphans. ![profile_icon.png](https://blog.stlukesct.org/hs-fs/hubfs/profile_icon.png?width=200&height=200&name=profile_icon.png) ### By Author - [Amber Berry: Former Head of Middle School ( 2 )](https://blog.stlukesct.org/author/amber-berry) - [Beth Yavenditti: Director of Global Education ( 3 )](https://blog.stlukesct.org/author/beth-yavenditti-director-of-global-education) - [Carrie Meatto: Spanish Teacher ( 1 )](https://blog.stlukesct.org/author/carrie-meatto-spanish-teacher) - [Daphne Teittinen-Schreck: ESS Director ( 1 )](https://blog.stlukesct.org/author/daphne-teittinen-schreck-ess-director) - [Dr. Jason Haynes: History Chair ( 2 )](https://blog.stlukesct.org/author/dr-jason-haynes-history-chair) - [Dr. Stephanie Bramlett: Former Director of Inclusive Excellence ( 2 )](https://blog.stlukesct.org/author/dr-stephanie-bramlett-former-director-of-inclusive-excellence) - [Gareth Fancher: Director of Emotional Intelligence ( 1 )](https://blog.stlukesct.org/author/gareth-fancher-director-of-emotional-intelligence) - [Georgia Rosenberg '19: Student ( 1 )](https://blog.stlukesct.org/author/georgia-rosenberg-19-student) - [Hunter Martin: Summer Program Director ( 1 )](https://blog.stlukesct.org/author/hunter-martin-summer-program-director) - [Jacqueline Nelson: Director of Equity and Inclusion ( 4 )](https://blog.stlukesct.org/author/jacqueline-nelson-director-of-equity-and-inclusion) - [Jane Olsen: Fifth Grade Teacher (retired) ( 1 )](https://blog.stlukesct.org/author/jane-olsen) - [Jason Giffen: Director of Enrollment Management ( 4 )](https://blog.stlukesct.org/author/jason-giffen-director-of-enrollment-management) - [Jessie Samuel, Fifth Grade Science Teacher ( 1 )](https://blog.stlukesct.org/author/jessie-samuel-fifth-grade-science-teacher) - [Jim Foley: Asst. 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