The Albers Executive Speaker Series Presents: Leading with Purpose

In his new book 'Running with Purpose: How Brooks Outpaced Goliath Competitors to Lead the Pack', Brooks Running Company CEO Jim Weber shares how he led a passionate, committed team to transform a failing business into a billion-dollar brand in the ultra-competitive global running market.

Joining Brooks in 2001 as the brand’s fourth CEO in two years, Weber devised a strategy for Brooks to move from the back of the pack to leading in the athletic, fitness, and outdoor categories. It would require the team to employ conviction, fortitude, and constancy of purpose to out-execute much larger brands. Brooks’ success caught the attention of Warren Buffett, who declared it a standalone subsidiary company of Berkshire Hathaway Inc. in 2012.

Today, people are yearning for authentic leadership and want to attach to brands and people they can trust. In Running with Purpose, Weber outlines six leadership principles he believes are essential to building trust and drawing people to a purpose bigger than themselves.

Weber’s journey at Brooks and beyond has become a playbook for anyone looking to apply purpose in their life – both professionally and personally. Pick a path, commit, and work every day to make a difference.

About Jim Weber

Jim Weber joined Brooks as CEO in 2001 and is credited for the Seattle-based company’s aggressive turnaround story, focusing the team solely on delivering personally inspiring products and experiences that keep people running. The business and brand caught the attention of Warren Buffett, who declared Brooks a standalone Berkshire Hathaway Inc. subsidiary company in 2012.

Weber’s professional journey also includes assignments in the branded consumer products industry as chairman and CEO of Sims Sports, president of O’Brien International, vice president of The Coleman Company, and various roles with The Pillsbury Company. Prior to joining Brooks, he was managing director of U.S. Bancorp Piper Jaffray Seattle Investment Banking practice and served on the Brooks board of directors.

Weber received a master’s of business administration degree with high distinction from The Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth College. Author of the book Running with Purpose, he currently serves on the boards of directors for Brooks and Tuck. In September 2015, Runner’s World magazine named Weber one of nine most influential innovators in the running industry. As well, he’s earned a spot for more than 10 consecutive years on the Footwear News 'Power 100' list, honoring greats across all footwear categories from the runway to running.

Event details

Since 2002, the Albers School of Business and Economics has organized the Albers Executive Speaker Series, live panels featuring top business leaders from the Puget Sound Area. Guests talk about a topic of their choice and respond to questions from a panel and the audience. The Speaker Series is yet another way Albers is committed to build student connections with the Seattle business community.

The Albers Executive Speaker Series is free and open to the public. Register to save your seat, ask questions for Jim Weber, and to be emailed any updates on the event.

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