USA: Nike Realigns Regional Management

NIKE, Inc. (NYSE: NKE) today announced a realignment of the company's regional management effective June 1. - Kevin Wulff, vice president and general manager of Nike USA for the past 18 months, will now have overall management responsibility for Nike's three strategic business units (SBUs) -- Nike Golf, the Jordan Brand and ACG -- as well as lead Nike's new business efforts. Wulff, 48, has been with Nike since 1993 having served as president and GM of Nike Canada and vice president and GM of The Americas.- Charlie Denson, a 21-year Nike veteran and currently vice president and GM of Nike Europe, will succeed Wulff as vice president and GM of Nike USA. Since 1997, Denson, 43, has managed the company's European operations based in Nike's European headquarters in Hilversum, The Netherlands. Prior to working in Europe, Denson held a variety of senior roles in sales and sports marketing in the US, including three years as vice president of US sales.- Nike Americas and Africa Vice President and GM Frits van Paasschen, 39, will take over as vice president and GM of Nike Europe from Denson. van Paasschen joined Nike in 1997 as vice president of strategic planning following two years at Disney Consumer Products and six years at McKinsey & Company in both Amsterdam and Los Angeles. He was born in Oegstgeest, The Netherlands.- Eric Sprunk, 36, European footwear GM since August of 1998, will succeed van Paasschen as vice president and GM of The Americas. Sprunk joined Nike in 1993 as finance director for The Americas and later served as GM for the region. Before joining Nike, he spent six years with Price Waterhouse in Seattle and Portland. "These changes in our regional management will allow us to continue to aggressively attack important markets and to accelerate the momentum of our business around the world," said Nike Chairman and CEO Philip H. Knight. "These appointments also are a testament to the depth of our management team."