6.25.2004 ET

(CSRwire) PORTLAND, Ore. - Community members, elected officials and Nike executives gathered in Northeast Portland today to celebrate one citizen's vision for the area, which, for the past 20 years, has helped create jobs, foster economic growth, and has resulted in $1 million in corporate donations to non-profit organizations in the local area.

Nike USA Operations President Gary DeStefano was joined by Oregon Governor Ted Kulongoski, State Senator Margaret Carter, former 1972-76 Portland Trail Blazer and the factory store's first manager La Rue Martin, and Carl Talton a recipient of one the store's first grants, to honor Portland resident Ron Herndon.

Herndon, now Chairman of the Board of the National Head Start Association and Director of Albina Head Start, approached Nike 20 years ago and urged the company to build its first ever factory store on Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard (then called Union Avenue).

"Two decades ago, Ron talked, and we listened. He led a community-wide effort that helped convince Bob Woodell, Nike's then president, to open our first factory store--not only the first in Oregon, but anywhere in the world--right here in Northeast Portland," said DeStefano at today's ceremony. "Twenty years later, we continue to be a proud North/Northeast Portland neighbor. We're committed to helping inspire the kind of entrepreneurship, economic growth, and access to resources that promotes a thriving community for residents and business owners."

As part of the store's anniversary celebration, University of Oregon head football coach Mike Bellotti along with La Rue Martin and the store's current manager Steven Shane helped host the factory store's open house from noon-3 p.m. for area neighbors. The celebration included food, entertainment and networking opportunities for community organizations.

"Nike has been a key economic driver for this community, and they are to be congratulated not only for doing business here for the last 20 years, but for being one of the first area businesses to stand up and declare Northeast Portland as a viable community to do business in," said Ron Herndon, who led the Black United Front in the 1980s and served as a catalyst for encouraging businesses, including the Nike Factory Store, to locate in the community. "Northeast Portland has seen incredible change in the last two decades that simply could not have happened at the speed it did if it were not for the significant commitments made by Nike and others in the business community--both in terms of achieving economic reward and providing community investment."

When the Nike Portland Factory Store opened in 1984, it pledged to donate a portion of the store's profits to community-based non-profit organizations. Since that time, the Portland Factory Store Grant Program has donated more than $900,000 to organizations. To bring the factory store's 20-year community investment in North-Northeast Portland to a total of $1 million, Nike expanded its grant program this year to 20 $5,000 grants, bringing the total grant amount for 2004 to $100,000. In 2002, Nike renewed its commitment to donate $50,000 a year through 2007. The store has been at its current location, 2650 NE Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd., since 2000.

As part of the day's festivities, Nike honored this year's grant recipients. Each non-profit organization was awarded a $5,000 grant* to support programs in the following areas: youth sports and recreational/physical activity; education and mentoring; and economic development for minorities, women and youth.

Grant recipients for the 2004 Portland Factory Store Grant Program are:

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