Michelle Moorehead takes over as vice president of strategic planning for Nike Inc. at an interesting time. Her hiring, announced in February, comes a little more than a month after William Perez succeeded the legendary Phil Knight as CEO of the brand-savvy athletic footwear giant. That Knight (who remains chairman) would give up some responsibilities was not a surprise, but the choice of Perez was. As longtime chief executive of S.C. Johnson & Son Inc., Perez knows brands such as the company's Pledge and Off! better than sneakers. Did his hiring signal Nike's interest in looking beyond the athletic and footwear industries?

Perez led his previous company through several sizable acquisitions. Meanwhile, Nike's most recent acquisition (of Converse Inc. in 2003) has also been a success.

Nike is currently at the peak of its game in its core business, with a 21.6% return on equity and revenue of more than $12 billion. Its innovations include selling customized shoes online and making limited edition models that are available only at special boutiques in trendsetting areas as far-flung as Beijing and Manhattan.

Moorehead comes to Nike from Target Corp., where she worked for three years, first in strategy and then in transition operations. At Nike she succeeds Curt Roberts, who became general manager of Nike Vision, Timing and Tech Ventures in May 2004. - Andrea Crandall

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