The man who co-founded Nike 32 years ago said yesterday [Thursday] that he would step down as president and CEO, effective Dec. 28, but remain chairman of the sporting goods powerhouse. Replacing Knight, 66, as president and CEO is William Perez, 57. He's a 34-year veteran of privately held S.C. Johnson & Son - whose products include Glade air fresheners, Drano, Pledge, Raid, Windex and Ziploc - where he's been president and CEO since 1996. "He's got a great success record and comes from a culture that fits with ours," Knight said in a phone interview. "He will fit more easily with this company than any other person I met." Knight had asked the Nike board nearly three years ago to begin a search for his replacement because he had "been asked a lot and thought about succession." Though Perez has no sports marketing experience, he does have experience running a global portfolio of brands - a plus as Nike looks to broaden the company beyond its signature Swoosh. In expanding beyond the Nike brand, the company last year bought old-school sneaker brand Converse and this year got sports apparel maker Starter. It also owns the Bauer hockey gear maker and high fashion shoe brand Cole Haan. "I'm excited about the Nike brand, but there's a great opportunity for the other brands," Perez said. "I'll be taking a very close look at Bauer, Converse and Cole Haan because there is significant opportunity there." Veteran manager Perez also brings organizational skills to the highly creative Nike environment. "This may be a case of: 'How do you bring process to creativity?' " said Scott Bedbury, who ran Nike's worldwide advertising from 1987 to 1994. Perez has big sneakers to fill. Knight started Nike in 1972 with track coach Bill Bowerman out of a car trunk. For fiscal 2004, it posted revenue of $12 billion. It has about 40% of the U.S. athletic footwear market and 34% worldwide. The stock is near a 52-week high of $85, and first-quarter profits were up 13%. "The company and the industry are very healthy right now," says Terry Lefton, editor at large, Sports Business Daily. "They're healthy, their products are good, they've patched up differences with their biggest retailer (Foot Locker), advertising is good, and they've bagged the biggest, youngest, best endorsers (from Tiger Woods to last year's NBA Rookie of the Year LeBron James)." That health is one reason Knight said it's the right time to step back. The new CEO can take the time to get the lay of the land because the business is quite strong, he said. Knight said he will help with the transition in the next six months but would not forecast beyond, except to say he wants to up his running mileage beyond 15 per week. Source: USA Today