From an unconventional style of play to exclusive Nike and Jordan Brand footwear, the Oregon Ducks have been setting a cultural tone through innovation for more than 20 years. In celebration of Garren Strong’s new book Innovation University, join us for a night in which former coaches, athletes, and industry-leading influencers talk about what makes the University of Oregon unique. Seen through the lens of the team’s rise from an underperforming football program to one of the biggest and most recognized brands in the country, this conversation — replete with custom playlist, AR enhancements — will center around innovation, sport, design, and storytelling.

Michael Doherty will moderate the conversation between Garren Strong, Tinker Hatfield and Todd Van Horne. Doors open at 5PM, conversation begins at 6PM.

Garren Strong, Panelist

Garren Strong is the author of Innovation University, an entrepreneur, and former Oregon Ducks Football player. Strong spent 11 years at Nike, leading some of the brand’s most historic transformation moments, starting with the reinvention of Nike Training & Football, and ending by leading the Jordan Brand to a billion-dollar franchise in the Air Jordan 1. As a brand and product marketer, Strong held a successful track record creating the most authentic narratives for consumers who obsessed football and culture as much as he did. In 2020 he started his own lifestyle brand, CRCL OF WNNRS. Strong holds a degree in Business Administration from the University of Oregon.

Tinker Hatfield, Panelist

Tinker Hatfield is Nike’s Vice President for Design and Special Projects, and oversees Nike’s Innovation Kitchen. Hatfield designed numerous Nike athletic shoe models, including the Air Jordan 3 through Air Jordan 15, the twentieth-anniversary Air Jordan XX, the Air Jordan XXIII, the 2010 (XXV), the 2015 Air Jordan XX9 (XXIX), and other athletic sneakers including the world’s first cross training shoes, the Nike Air Trainer. For his many innovative designs and numerous creations over more than three decades, Hatfield is considered a legend of design. Hatfield holds an architecture degree from the University of Oregon, where he competed as a Track & Field athlete.

Todd Van Horne, Panelist

For the last 25 years, Todd has been working with the University of Oregon on Branding, Uniforms and Environments, including the latest Hayward field. With 40 years of Sports design industry experience, starting with the first 5 years of his career in the SoCal Surf Industry for Maui and Sons. Then, spending his next 30 years as a creative leader at Nike. His last roles were Vice President Creative Director for the Football category and Vice President of Nike special projects. He has a history of sport redesign projects that include: the Denver Broncos, Seattle Seahawks, and Over 40 Division 1 Collegiate programs, NFL Uniforms, and Olympic federations. But, nothing makes him prouder than the continual work with the Oregon Ducks athletes, teams, and buildings, where he opened his own design firm, “Van Horne Brands” to specialize his focus on creative work for the University of Oregon.

Michael Doherty, Moderator

Doherty came to Nike in 1981 after 10 years in Film and TV in San Francisco and LA. Besides running the first Nike film and Video group, Michael ran a guerrilla marketing team Nike SWAT, which had college campus rep programs on 30 different campuses across the country. He also started Nike.com, an online sports info portal, and all the while produced, wrote, and directed onstage live presentations as Senior Creative director. As well as running the Nike campus radio show, KAOS. Michael left Nike in 2018 to do non profit philanthropy work creating Doernbecher Freestyle a patient designer collaboration and fundraiser …currently raised 35 million dollars in its 19th year.