Semi-retired, Consultant.
Steve Vincent attended Oregon State in the earlier 1980s, focusing his studies on mechanical engineering. During his time there, he made many good friends and connections, and he maintains several of those relationships today.
He feels that the Oregon State experience gave him a foundation not only in engineering, but also in practical problem-solving. He has used that throughout his career to ensure success in the programs he has worked on, and to help others on the team learn to solve technical problems on their own. He adds that the College of Engineering piqued his curiosity, and gave him a solid understanding of how things work.
After Oregon State, Vincent worked in several roles with increasing responsibility, building on his interest in solar power. He started as an engineer, working on product development of high-performance residential and commercial windows, and he eventually managed a team of engineers who handled those tasks. After eight years working in solar, he pivoted to the sports industry.
Vincent has over 30 years of experience leading consumer product innovation teams. He has held senior executive roles at Nike, Fila, and, most recently, Adidas, where he spent over 17 years and most recently held the position of senior vice president of innovation. He managed vice presidents and senior directors, leading global teams of designers, engineers, and scientists in the U.S., Germany, Italy, and Asia.
“I believe the successful future of engineering in the sporting and apparel industry will be through deeply diverse teams working with other disciplines, such as designers, scientists, and marketers, in a collaborative way."
The teams working under Vincent developed industry leading sport products, including footwear, apparel, and electronics. He and his teams helped create new products and platform technologies that were an integral part of the company’s recent turn around and current success.
Vincent retired from Adidas in 2018, but continues to enjoy consulting work, focusing on strategy, innovation and mentoring. He is currently consulting for a small startup apparel and electronics brand. He spends his time between Portland and Bend, and Baja Sur Mexico. He enjoys hiking, biking, off-roading, kayaking, cooking, and traveling.
Degrees
- B.S., Mechanical Engineering, 1982