▁Johnson ▁& ▁Son . ▁ ▁Early ▁life ▁William ▁David ▁Pere z ▁was ▁born ▁on ▁September ▁ 1 0 , ▁ 1 9 4 7 ▁in ▁Ak ron , ▁Ohio . ▁He ▁went ▁to ▁high ▁school ▁at ▁Western ▁Reserve ▁Academy , ▁a ▁private ▁co ed uc ational ▁board ing ▁school ▁in ▁Hudson , ▁Ohio , ▁before ▁att ending ▁Corn ell ▁University , ▁where ▁he ▁was ▁a ▁member ▁of ▁S igma ▁Al pha ▁E psilon ▁frat ern ity . ▁In ▁addition , ▁Pere z ▁has ▁a ▁gradu ate ▁degree ▁from ▁the ▁Th under bird ▁School ▁of ▁Global ▁Management . ▁ ▁Business ▁career ▁Pere z ▁worked ▁at ▁S . ▁C . ▁Johnson ▁from ▁ 1 9 7 0 ▁to ▁ 2 0 0 4 . ▁ ▁He ▁spent ▁eight ▁years ▁as ▁president ▁and ▁CE O ▁of ▁S . ▁C . ▁Johnson ▁& ▁Son . ▁On ▁December ▁ 2 8 , ▁ 2 0 0 4 , ▁Pere z ▁succeeded ▁Phil ▁Knight ▁as ▁CE O ▁of ▁N ike , ▁Inc ▁and ▁served ▁from ▁December ▁ 2 0 0 4 ▁until ▁his ▁announ cement ▁on ▁January ▁ 2 3 , ▁ 2 0 0 6 ▁that ▁he ▁was ▁res ign ing ▁from ▁N ike ▁due ▁to ▁disag re ements ▁with ▁Knight ▁over ▁how ▁to ▁run ▁the ▁company . ▁Pere z ▁received ▁$ 8 ▁million ▁in ▁sever ance ▁pay . ▁ ▁On ▁October ▁ 3 , ▁ 2 0 0 6 , ▁Pere z ▁succeeded ▁William ▁W rig ley , ▁Jr . ▁II ▁as ▁CE O ▁of ▁W m