Who Is on Top of Their Game?

Liz Claiborne

Liz Claiborne was born Elizabeth Claiborne on March 31, 1929 in Belgium. She moved to the United States in 1939 and was raised in New Orleans Louisiana. Instead of finishing high school, she went to Europe to study art. In 1949, she made a sketch of a woman’s coat that won the Jacques Heim National Design Contest. After winning the contest, she moved to New York City where she worked as a sketch artist at Tina Leser sportswear house. In 1976, Elizabeth Claiborne started her own company call Liz Claiborne Inc. designing affordable active sportswear for women. Liz Claiborne Inc. designs and markets men’s and women’s apparel, accessories and fragrances. Liz Claiborne products are sold in over 30,000 different retail locations throughout the world.

Liz Claiborne’s company racked in nearly $2 million in its first year of sales from her collection of pants, skirts, sweaters and jackets. From 1976 through 1981, sales increased from $2.6 million to $117 million. A few years after, Liz Claiborne Inc. expanded their company to make a total of 19 divisions, which included petites, dresses, shoes, perfume and menswear. In 1986, the company sales reached $1.2 billion making it 1 of 2 female established companies among the top 500 largest industrial companies. In 1989, Liz Claiborne retired from the company’s head position, but still plays a big role in designing merchandise.

Michael Jordan

Michael Jordan was born February 17, 1963. As good of a basketball player he was, you may think he has been playing all his life, but that is not the case. Michael Jordan joined his high school basketball team when he was a junior. After high school, he went to the University of North Carolina on a basketball scholarship. Some say that he was amazing beyond anyone’s imagination. In his junior year at the University of N.C., Jordan entered the NBA draft in 1084. He was drafted 3rd overall to the Chicago Bulls.

Early in his NBA career, Michael Jordan adjusted very quickly to the pros style of play. He quickly jumped off to leading the league in many statistical categories such as points per game, assists per game, and steals per game. He felt that being the best meant being ahead in every aspect of the game, so he worked oh his defense to being named all league defensive player. Throughout his career he won many MVP awards, and many championships.

After his basketball career, he ventured into business. He co-starred with the Looney Tunes in the blockbuster hit movie Space Jam. He racked in endorsements from companies such as Nike, Wheaties, his own golf company, and his cologne. This instantly made Jordan a multimillionaire. In 1997, he was ranked first among the worlds highest paid athletes, with a $30 million contract per year, and $40 million in endorsements a year. Michael Jordan also brings in millions of dollars