Mike Bills
Strategist, Partner
Mike is a recognized expert in consumer-led brand positioning and innovation. With twenty-five years of experience leading retail branding and product development agencies Retail Planning Associates and Fitch, and having served as Chief Marketing Officer for Select Comfort Corporation, Mike develops strategic and creative solutions that resonate with target consumers and are competitively differentiating for brands.
Over the course of his career, Mike has partnered with brands including Calvin Klein, Donna Karen, Levi Strauss, BCBG, Diesel, Wrangler, Adidas, Nike, Target, Federated Department Stores, Breville, Disney, Universal Studios, Playboy Enterprises, Apple, Hewlett Packard, Sony, Unilever, Procter & Gamble and Virgin Atlantic, to name just a few. His work has taken him around the world with engagements in seventeen countries. The International Retail Council and DDI Magazine named Mike one of the “40 Most Influential People in Retail”. He is a keynote speaker at leading industry events, and his perspectives have been featured on CNN, CNBC, Sky Radio and in Time Magazine and Business Week.
Mike joined the faculty of The Ohio State University’s Fisher College of Business in 2008 where he developed MBA and executive education – level courses in innovation and brand marketing. Fisher MBA students awarded Mike the James L. Ginter Award for excellence in teaching in 2010, and again in 2011. Mike also served as the Founder and Executive Director of The Ohio State University Center for Innovation & Entrepreneurship where he was responsible for corporate relationships, and curricular and extra-curricular innovation and entrepreneurship – based programming across the undergraduate, graduate and executive education programs.
Mike serves on the boards of Best Buddies Ohio and CINCO – The Community Investment Network of Ohio.
Mike resides in Columbus, Ohio with his wife Megan, and a dog named Henry. Mike and Megan have two grown daughters, Madeline and Claire.