Julia Brim-Edwards, one of the highly effective company gamers in Oregon politics, is leaving Nike.
A number of sources stated Brim-Edwards, 60, has determined it’s time to grasp it up after 17 years working for the enormous athletic shoe and attire firm.
Brim-Edwards declined to remark. Nike officers didn’t return cellphone calls or emails.
What she intends to do subsequent is unclear, although sources near her say she doesn’t intend to run for greater workplace. She at present serves on the board of Portland Public Schools and plans to proceed to take action, mates stated.
She performed a distinguished function is just about all of Nike’s main political battles in Oregon during the last decade.
In 2012, she advised surprised members of the Kitzhaber administration that the corporate meant to maneuver a deliberate enlargement out of Oregon and as an alternative to Texas or Washington except it acquired extremely favorable tax remedy.
“It was very clear the menace that they might transfer — it was unequivocal,” stated Curtis Robinhold, chief of employees to then-Gov. John Kitzhaber. “Julia is superb at that. She’s very direct. However she additionally got here to us with a reputable need to repair it. “
Kitzhaber known as a one-day particular session and lawmakers quickly did Nike’s bidding at the same time as critics howled that the state ought to name Nike’s bluff.
Nike promised that if it acquired the tax remedy it needed, the corporate would increase its current campus in Washington County, make investments a minimum of $150 million within the venture and create 500 new jobs.
In truth, Nike’s progress exceeded all expectations. It has added greater than 4,000 further native jobs, and the funding within the new campus is approaching $1 billion.
In 2018-19, Brim-Edwards satisfied Nike to again a brand new company actions tax that can generate billions of {dollars} for Oregon colleges.
She infuriated much of the local business community in the process. Not solely did Nike again the brand new tax, it allied itself with the highly effective public workers’ union SEIU to get it performed. The invoice creating the tax, dubbed the Pupil Success Act, was handed into regulation in 2019.
“The Pupil Success Act wouldn’t have occurred with out Julia, with out her drive and management,” stated Nik Blosser, former chief of employees for Gov. Kate Brown.
In her final venture for Nike, Brim-Edwards acquired the corporate concerned within the pandemic. Beaverton Mayor Lacey Beaty, bored with listening to about native residents having to journey to Portland Worldwide Airport or the Oregon Conference Heart to get the COVID-19 vaccine, went to Brim-Edwards in hopes Nike may host a mass vaccination location. Brim-Edwards volunteered Nike’s huge parking storage.
With the assistance of Tualatin Valley Fireplace & Rescue, greater than 50,000 folks acquired vaccinated on the web site.
The venture helped extinguish the final drops of dangerous blood between town and the corporate stemming from a protracted and ugly battle over annexation in 2005-2006.
Beaty, a Lacrosse participant and coach, stated she and Brim-Edwards hit it off partly as a result of they each “communicate jock.”
“As quickly as I heard somebody quoting John Picket that it takes 10 arms to attain a basket, I knew issues would work out simply advantageous,” Beaty stated.
— Jeff Manning
