Perfect Fit: FSU alumnus Scholefield named CIO of Nike
An undeniable electricity permeates college campuses on football game days. Jim Scholefield (B.S. ’86) has experienced that feeling only once since his university days at Florida State — when he arrived at the Beaverton, Oregon, world headquarters of Nike this past summer as the company’s new global chief information officer. A campus filled with physical activities combined with a dynamic spirit of innovation prompted Scholefield to leave his position as chief technology officer at Coca-Cola for Nike. Scholefield’s resume is packed with positions at prominent brands like Ford Motor Co. and Northern Trust Corp. in capacities that involve tech. His new role: Create technology solutions to drive Nike’s robust innovation agenda across global business. In addition, he will lead an internal technology revolution strategy that includes Converse (a subsidiary of Nike).
A lifelong sports fan, Scholefield appreciates that Nike doesn’t do corporatespeak; discussions are punctuated with sports analogies and everything goes back to a love of athletics. He’s thrilled to lead a team spread out across the world and to write his own playbook. It was at Florida State that he figured out his professional path. He ultimately settled on management as his major, deciding that his business career should also include technology. “I always had a passion for tech, so when I was at Florida State I worked in the computer lab developing technology for students with disabilities,” he said. “It was: How can we leverage tech to make their experience better?” Now he hopes to take that training and again use technology to make experiences better — this time, for one of the largest companies in the world.
Scholefield on the campus of Nike’s world headquarters Photo courtesy of Nike
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