Draft:Steve Bence
American middle-distance runner and Nike executive.
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Steve Bence is an American former middle‑distance runner and Nike executive. He competed for the University of Oregon in the early 1970s and later spent several decades in leadership roles at Nike, Inc., working in areas including product creation, global sourcing, and transition management. [1] [2] He has been featured in coverage of Steve Prefontaine and Nike’s early history and is the author of the memoir 1972: Pre, UO Track, Nike Shoes and My Life with Them All.
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Submission declined on 14 March 2026 by ThatTrainGuy1945 (talk).
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Comment: Long tenured, yes, but subject seems to only be mentioned in passing in relation to Nike and/or Pre. Any other sources you can find on this subject specifically? 🚂ThatTrainGuy1945 Peep peep! 18:38, 14 March 2026 (UTC)
- Comment: In accordance with Wikipedia's Conflict of interest guideline, I disclose that I have a conflict of interest regarding the subject of this article. SteveBence1972 (talk) 05:06, 18 February 2026 (UTC)
Athletics and early career
Bence ran middle‑distance events for the University of Oregon track and field program in the early 1970s, competing nationally and training under coach Bill Bowerman alongside Steve Prefontaine.[2] [3]
Career at Nike
Bence joined Blue Ribbon Sports, later renamed Nike, Inc., in the late 1970s and went on to hold a variety of roles in the company. Over several decades he worked in areas including retail, information technology, human resources, product creation, and global manufacturing and sourcing, and he has been described in media coverage as a long‑tenured Nike executive. [2] He has also appeared in educational and media features explaining the product development process and Nike’s evolution. [4] [5]
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