Honorees

2014 Architect of the Year: Vada O. Manager

Having begun his career as a gubernatorial-appointed member of the Arizona Board of Regents that governed the state's approximately $800 million state university system while still an undergraduate, Vada O. Manager has long been respected as a premier strategist and businessperson.

Prior to forming the consultancy in 2009, Manager served as Senior Director, Global Issues Management for NIKE, Inc. with direct and indirect leadership responsibilities in the following areas: NIKE’s brand marketing/corporate communications (corporate & subsidiaries), global sourcing procedures, litigation support, athlete/product/corporate issue and crisis management. In assisting the company's global growth plans, Vada provided consultation to several of the company's key initiatives for on-line commerce (Nike.com/NikeiD) and new acquisitions such as the Starter, Converse and Umbro brands. During his twelve year tenure, Nike's revenues grew from $6 billion to an $18 billion. Vada was also a member of NIKE'S Corporate Leadership Team - the company's most highly valued team of global executives.

Prior to Nike, Manager served in a similar capacity for Levi Strauss & Co. which also included direct engagement with then Executive Chairman Peter Haas and former Chairman & CEO Bob Haas. Manager has an extensive background in business strategy and sports/corporate/brand communications. His past professional affiliations and/or institutional clients include: former Secretary of the Interior and Arizona Governor Bruce Babbitt, Governor Rose Mofford, Mayor Sharon Pratt Kelly (Washington, D.C.); Major League Baseball and the PGA Tour. He also served as Vice President of Public Finance for Young Smith & Peacock (now Wedbush Securities following a series of acquisitions) a NYSE registered brokerage and investment banking firm. Manager is also a Senior Counselor with APCO Worldwide, a premier global business/communications consultancy based in Washington DC. He also serves on their International Advisory Council, comprised of former CEOs and senior diplomats -chaired by renowned diplomat Gov. Bill Richardson.

Manager also serves on the board of directors for Ashland Inc., a $8 billion Fortune 500 global specialty chemical company headquartered in Kentucky. Manager is also active with the American Council on Germany and is a former member of the Arizona State University Alumni Council.; the Arizona Centennial Commission and the Center for the Study of the Presidency (Fellow). He has also appeared as a guest on CNBC, TODAY Show, CNN, ESPN, FOX and his thought-leading columns have appeared in Sports Business Journal and other publications.

He is the chairperson of a special advisory committee for the U.S. Military Academy at West Point and also previously served on the Arizona State University Alumni Council.

He is an inductee in the ASU Hall of Fame and was also named Sports Executive of the Year by Rainbow-PUSH.

Manager graduated from Arizona State University where he was inducted in the Hall of Fame (CLAS) in 1999. He also conducted graduate level fee research at the London School of Economics in the UK. As part of his community service, in 2006Manager was invited to become a member of Sigma Pi Phi (Boule), a distinguished group of accomplished men whose community service includes youth mentorship and public service. He was inducted in the Gamma Mu chapter in Phoenix and now is part of the Epsilon chapter in Washington DC.

2014 Honorees