Steven Nichols, in his freshman year at New York University opened a children's retail shoe store in N.Y.C. Before graduation, with a B.S. in Banking & Finance, he opened a second store and eventually increased the group to 9 shops in metropolitan New York.

1980: Mr. Nichols joined the Stride Rite corporation as Chairman of the retail division. Additionally he was elected to the corporation's Board of Directors and appointed Corporate Vice- President of Merchandise to oversee the additional owned brands, Keds, Sperry Topsiders, Herman Survivor's Boots.

1983: Mr. Nichols became the President of the Stride Rite brand responsible for sales, manufacturing, and marketing.

1987: Mr. Nichols, along with a small group of investors, purchased K-SWISS. Founded in Los Angeles by 2 Swiss Nationals, K-SWISS was 20 years old and achieved sales of $20 million, mostly known for tennis shoes in California. Mr. Nichols assumed the roles of Chairman, President, and CEO. It was a classic late 80's"leveraged buyout"; the new company had a negative net worth at day one.

1990: K-SWISS achieved $70 million in revenues and through an IPO became a public company.

Distribution was expanded to 80 countries worldwide and wholly owned subsidies were founded in Canada, U.K., France, Netherlands, Germany, Italy, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Japan, Korea, Australia, China, Indonesia, Thailand and Vietnam. Revenue eventually reached $500 million with a $70 million, after tax, bottom line.2013: K-SWISS was sold to E.Land a large, privately held Korean based company.

Mr. Nichols now invests in various young businesses and real estate. Additionally he is associated with the boards of the following non-profit organizations: ADL, Anderson School at UCLA, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Jewish Federation, Jewish Graduate Students Initiative, Two Ten Foundation.