Willie Banks, World Record Holder
An area of emphasis for HSJ, Inc. is the Olympic Movement. CEO Willie Banks knows first hand how difficult it is to become an Olympian and to stay on top in a given sport or event. Willie Banks is a three-time Olympian in the triple jump event. He has used his experience as an athlete to help others master the difficult competition of the sports marketing and media industry.
Willie’s high-visibility media and spokesperson projects have included serving as an Olympian spokesman for Ted Turner’s 1986 Goodwill Games, as a color commentator for ABC Radio Sports’ coverage of the 1984 Los Angeles Olympic Games, and as a featured athlete in an athletic shoe company’s award-winning wordless billboard art campaign.
In addition, Willie has made dozens of personal appearances and speeches for companies such as IBM, AT&T, Coca-Cola, Pepsi, Transamerica, Vons, Minute Maid, and Adidas.
From 1985-1995, Banks held the world record in the triple jump at 58 feet, 11.5 inches. Banks was the first Track and Field Athlete to engage the large crowds in his competitions and encouraged thunderous clapping before his jumps. He ultimately became a worldwide ambassador for the sport of Track and Field and is credited with actually saving his event from being excluded by promoters.
After he retired, Banks has focused on mastering the business of the Olympic Movement and has served a number of the world’s great metropolitan areas who have entertained ambitions of hosting premiere sporting events. Currently, Banks serves as the President of the United States Olympians and continues to travel all over the world in pursuit of new business opportunities for his many clients.
Honors:
Board member, USA Track & Field
President, US Olympic Alumni Association
Member, California State Games Advisory Board
President, USA Track & Field Alumni Association
Vice President, US Olympic Committee Athlete Alumni Association
Chairman, USA Track & Field Athletes Advisory Committee
Marketing Consultant for World Olympians Association
Member, World Sports Forum Advisory Board
Director, Southern California Velodrome Association
Athlete Identification & Development Committee member (USOC)
Chairman of UCLA’s Ralph J. Bunche Scholarship Program
Vice President of The Athletics Congress (TAC)
Delegate to United States Olympic Committee (USOC)
Chairman of TAC Athletes Advisory Committee
Clerk/Externship for Judge Alarcon, United States Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit
Public affairs intern in CORO Program for City of Los Angeles
Athletic Honors:
USA Track & Field Hall of Fame 1999
Oceanside High School Hall of Fame 2008
American record holder in the triple jump, 1981-1996
World record holder in the triple jump, 1985-1995
Three time U.S. Olympian, 1980, 1984 & 1988
Olympic Track and Field team captain, 1988
USOC’s Sportsman of the Year, 1986
Jesse Owens Award for Most Outstanding Track and Field Athlete, 1985
International Fair Play Award Nominee, 1984
NCAA Scholar Athlete of the Year, 1978
NCAA Post Graduate Scholarship award, 1978
Four-time NCAA Track & Field All-American 1975 – 1978
PUBLISHED
Articles published in such periodicals as the Yomiuri Shimbun (second largest newspaper circulation in Japan), Pittsburgh Gazette, Track and Field News, Training Journal. Also published “Hop, Step Challenge”, an autobiography in Japanese. Published “Banks on Triple Jump” videocassette and “Comeback 32 Minute Motivator” audiocassette. Served on many international panels including the World Sports Forum and the Black Sports & Entertainment Lawyers Association symposiums.
EDUCATION
Juris Doctorate, University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA)
Bachelor of Arts, Political Science, University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA)
Second Language, Japanese
