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Grad From Stamford's Westhill High In Line To Become Nike Chairman

STAMFORD, Conn. -- A Westhill High graduate from Stamford is poised to become the new chairman at Nike.

Mark Parker, a graduate of Westhill High School in Stamford, could become the new chairman for Nike.

Mark Parker, a graduate of Westhill High School in Stamford, could become the new chairman for Nike.

Photo Credit: Courtesy of Nike

Mark Parker, a 1973 graduate of Westhill, was selected by Philip Knight to become the new chairman. Knight, 77, announced on Tuesday he planned to step down. He wants to pass the reins to Parker, the company's president and chief executive.

Parker ran track and cross country at Westhill before heading to Penn State, where he was also a member of the school's teams. He was born in Poughkeepsie, N.Y.

He joined Nike in 1979. According to the Nike website, he has had multiple roles with the company. He was Vice President of Consumer Product Marketing, Vice President of Global Footwear and Co-President of the Nike Brand. He also led the way for Nike Air and a multitude of industry-breakthroughs in product design.

Parker was named the CEO of Nike in 2006. The final decision on Knight's successor will be made by the board of directors at Nike.

"“Phil founded Nike to serve athletes,” Parker said in a statement on the Nike website. “That vision and inspiration continues to drive our success today around the world.  I have been privileged to work with Phil for over 35 years, and Nike's exceptional management team and I are committed to building on Phil’s vision to drive the next era of growth for Nike.”

Knight co-founded the company in 1968. He is expected to step down in 2016.

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