J. Michael Prince, who graduated at the top of his class from East Central University in 1993 and a Latta High School graduate, was recently named chief executive officer for United States Polo Association Global Licensing Inc., which is the official licensing arm and national broadcaster of the U.S. Polo Association.
Prince had served as chief operating officer of USPA Global Licensing Inc. since May of 2017. The USPAGL manages the U.S. Polo Assn. brand, the USPA’s $1.5 billion global sport-inspired apparel brand.
He is a global retail executive who has worked in senior leadership positions with some of the most iconic sports & fashion brands in the world including Nike, Cole Haan, Converse, Hurley, Umbro and Guess?
“I am honored and humbled by this amazing opportunity to work with a brand and sport that have unlimited potential,” said Prince. “The authenticity of the U.S. Polo Assn. sets it apart from all of its competitors as the only officially sanctioned brand for the sport of polo in the U.S.”
Prince is also a strategic advisor working across multiple industries partnering with Family Offices and Native American tribes on potential marketplace and investment opportunities.
He started his professional career in Oklahoma with his first job at PriceWaterhouse where he earned his CPA. He later worked for two of Oklahoma’s most prestigious companies, Devon Energy and BancFirst. He most recently served as the president and board member of Cole Haan, the global fashion brand.
As president of that company, he provided executive leadership over commercial, operational and financial aspects of the business including the Company’s 300 global retail stores, digital commerce and extensive international and licensing businesses as well as new product categories.
Prince has both public and private company executive and board experience and has worked closely with the Wall Street and private equity communities. Prince’s accomplishments as an executive have ranged from overseeing a $4 billion portfolio of brands for Nike to expanding Cole Haan’s billion-dollar global retail and digital footprint internationally. He has also worked with sports icons such as Dwyane Wade, of the Miami Heat, as well as global collaborations with American Airlines.
While at ECU, Prince was also vice president of the ECU Student Body. He earned his MBA from Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business and currently serves on the Board. He was raised in the local Ada area where he graduated from Latta High School and is a member of the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma. He is a donor to ECU’s Harland C. Stonecipher School of Business and has established scholarships at Duke University and the Choctaw Nation.
Prince is a 2017 ECU Distinguished Alumnus.
Finally, Prince has been a featured speaker at numerous collegiate events for Duke University, University of Oklahoma and ECU, discussing the topics of global brands, international business, and entrepreneurship. He is an advisory board member and investor of Toronto International Fashion Week (TIFW). Prince is also a member of New York Metro’s Young Presidents Organization and was honored in 2016 with the State of Creativity Award by Oklahoma’s governor. He and his wife Amanda reside in West Palm Beach, Florida. He has two sons, Coleman and Benjamin.
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