# Michael Grimes

> Michael Grimes is Senior Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer for JD North America, the parent of JD Finish Line, one of the largest specialty athletic footwear and apparel retailers in the United States. Based in Indianapolis, he leads brand strategy, omni-channel marketing and consumer experience for a chain that generates around $2.1 billion in annual revenue and employs roughly 16,000 people. A Butler University graduate who started in the agency world at Willow Marketing, Grimes has spent his Finish Line career stitching together the store and online worlds, steering high-profile sneaker launches and culture-forward collaborations, while also serving on the Finish Line Youth Foundation board.

- **Role:** Senior Vice President, Chief Marketing Officer at JD North America (JD Finish Line)
- **Organizations:** JD Finish Line, Finish Line Youth Foundation, Butler University (alumnus)
- **From:** Clarksville, Indiana, United States
- **Nationality:** American
- **Education:** Bachelor's degree, Marketing, Butler University, MBA, Business Administration with a Finance focus, Butler University
- **Known for:** Named to the Indianapolis Business Journal Forty Under 40 in 2015, Rose from marketing director to Chief Marketing Officer at one of the largest U.S. athletic footwear retailers, Led integration of Finish Line's in-store and online customer experiences (omni-channel)

## Career timeline

- **1995-1999** — Studies marketing at Butler University; interns at Willow Marketing in Indianapolis
- **1999** — Hired full-time at Willow Marketing straight out of the internship, no formal interview
- **2000s** — Moves through agency roles, including Account Supervisor positions at MARC USA and Meyer & Wallis
- **2004-2007** — Earns an MBA in Finance from Butler University
- **2010s** — Joins Finish Line, rising through Director of Marketing to Vice President of Omni-Channel Marketing
- **2015** — Named to the Indianapolis Business Journal Forty Under 40; leads the Nike Air Max campaign featuring LeSean McCoy
- **2016** — Serves as Senior Vice President, Brand & Consumer Experience at Finish Line
- **2019** — Becomes Senior Vice President, Chief Marketing Officer for JD North America (JD Finish Line)

## Achievements

- Named to the Indianapolis Business Journal Forty Under 40 in 2015
- Rose from marketing director to Chief Marketing Officer at one of the largest U.S. athletic footwear retailers
- Led integration of Finish Line's in-store and online customer experiences (omni-channel)
- Directed high-profile sneaker launch campaigns, including a 2015 Nike Air Max campaign with NFL running back LeSean McCoy
- Steered culture-forward brand collaborations such as Migos x Finish Line
- Serves on the Finish Line Youth Foundation board; co-led a $1.25 million commitment toward a Boys & Girls Club near company headquarters

## Latest updates

- **2019-01** — Appointed Senior Vice President, Chief Marketing Officer for JD North America (JD Finish Line)

## Links

- Website: https://finishline.com
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mpgrimes/
- Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/mpgrimes

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Profile page: https://yespress.io/michael-grimes
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Last updated: 2026-07-25