Nike Inc.

Any Oregonian who has lived here long enough knows about the Nike headquarters. It's the envy of any business person who doesn't already work there. Nike's brand is known around the world, but especially in Eugene,  where the Oregon Ducks sports teams wear Nike apparel. Ironically, the national headquarters is located in a town named for its former beaver dams.

• Being founded in Oregon 
• Bill Bowerman, a track coach at the University of Oregon, and Phil Knight, one of his runners, co-founded Nike in 1972. Originally they called it Blue Ribbon Sports (BRS), aiming to design shoes for athletes. Today the company is more widely known as Nike, named after the Greek goddess of victory. 
• Being based in Oregon
• Though Nike is famous world-wide, it is headquartered in Beaverton, OR, a Portland suburb.  
• Giving back to Oregon
• Nike is committed to reducing its environmental impact and reducing the natural resources it uses. Recently Nike released its "Environmental Apparel Design Tool" to company outsiders to improve sustainability throughout the sports fashion industry. This company also works to improve conditions for its factory workers worldwide, though they have a long way to go before their conditions meet public standards (only 17% of their factories had completed worker surveys or completed human resources training.) Despite this, Oregonians can appreciate Nike's openness about both sustainability and working conditions. Fellow companies should take note.
• As for Oregon, Nike established a grant program in May of this year called "Nike Employee Grant Fund of The Oregon Community Foundation" which seeks to improve the Portland communities through sport. It offers grants to charities that aim to make a difference in health, fitness, education, and environment. Some key benefactors are public schools in the Portland area. Portland area schools also receive help from the "Nike School Innovation Fund." Nike has also partnered with Doernbecher Children's Hospital in Portland and Special Olympics Oregon. 
• Number of Oregon Employees
• The Beaverton headquarters has 7,000 employees, about a fifth of their employees worldwide. 
• Near their global headquarters, Nike has a company-owned factory that produces the unique parts used in Nike shoes. They also have a factory in Tigard for their Nike Golf brand that has 84 employees. Nike contracts several third party factories in Oregon to help manufacture their products. 
• Number of stores in Oregon
• Nike has ten retail and factory stores in Oregon. Each factory store employs 40-65 full-time and part-time workers.
• Number or stores that carry Nike brand in Oregon
• Nike has a store locator on their website to help you find retailers of Nike products.  It lists 250 retailers, including Sports Authority and Foot Locker. 

Final Score: 3 out 3 stars

All information gathered from: http://www.nikebiz.com/
Additional assistance provided by: Nike USA Consumer Services