Sources close to me tell me that former Nike executive Steve Miller is in Seattle today to meet with Vulcan officials about the Portland Trail Blazers President position. If the negotiations go smoothly and the two sides can come to terms, it is expected that Steve Miller will be named the next President of the Portland Trail Blazers by week's end. The announcement could come as soon as Wednesday.

As I wrote several weeks ago, Miller has been targeted for the President's position by the search committee, which includes Vulcan Sports and Entertainment President Tod Leiweke, Portland Trail Blazers General Manager Kevin Pritchard and Portland Trail Blazers Executive Vice President of Business Operations Mike Golub.

Miller, is currently a faculty member at the Warsaw Sports Marketing Center at the University of Oregon and he was the President and CEO of the Professional Bowlers Association until the fall of 2005. Miller retired from Nike as director of global sports marketing relations in September 2000, after nine years with the company.

While at Nike, Miller held several positions including director of athletics, director of U.S. sports marketing, director of sports marketing for the Asia Pacific region, and director of NCAA sports marketing. From September 1992 to October 1994, Miller led his division to over 500 percent growth for the period. From June 1998 to September 2000, he oversaw Nike's $100 million investment in the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney, while directing the company's marketing investments and strategies throughout the Asia Pacific region.

Prior to his work at Nike, Miller served from 1988 to 1992 as director of athletics at Kansas State University, where he led an effort to turn one of the country's most losing football programs into a top-five nationally ranked team. He also supervised the expansion of the university's athletic facilities, which included a new 13,500-seat basketball arena, a total football renovation, and new indoor and outdoor tracks. Previously, from 1981 to 1987, Miller served as head coach for the track and field and cross country teams at Kansas State.

He currently sits on the Board of Directors of numerous organizations, including the Andre Agassi Charitable Foundation, the Oregon Sports Authority and the Warsaw Sports Marketing Center at the University of Oregon.

As I have noted before, the 63-year-old Miller would be a solid choice for the Trail Blazers President position. If you look at the past two Trail Blazers Presidents - Bob Whitsitt and Steve Patterson - they both wanted to focus more on basketball operations than business operations - and the business operations suffered. Miller will be the exact opposite. With Kevin Pritchard firmly entrenched as the team's leader for the basketball side of things, Miller will work hard to continue the efforts of rebuilding the Trail Blazers brand. From increasing ticket sales to reconnecting the organization with the community, Miller's task will be focused on business operations. Because Trail Blazers owner Paul Allen recently reacquired the Rose Garden arena, Miller will also be charged with leading the arena's efforts as well as overseeing the future development of the Rose Quarter.

Miller and Golub, both former Nike executives are warm, friendly faces. They'll get out from behind their desks and engage business and community leaders. They're also not afraid to admit that the team still has a good deal of work to do to get back to the glory days of the early 90's when the team was selling out games and sponsorship sales were a layup.

Both Miller and Golub are bright guys. They can see the tides turning for the better in Portland and they know that if they hop on board the elevator as it is heading to the top, they could be part of the management team that "turned things around in Portland". Now is the time to buy stock in the Trail Blazers and both gentlemen are doing so and will have a large say in completing the turnaround.

In other Trail Blazers front office news, the team is also interested in hiring Milwaukee Bucks PR Director Cheri Hanson to oversee their PR efforts. Hanson, who is one of the longest tenured PR executives in the NBA, grew up around the Trail Blazers when her father handled PR duties for the Trail Blazers in the 80's. Hanson, who worked in Seattle before following George Karl to Milwaukee, has a solid relationship with Trail Blazers Head Coach Nate McMillan from her days with the Supersonics. Hanson would replace Art Sasse, who left the team in late March.

As I've said previously, things are looking up for the Trail Blazers. I think Paul Allen and Tod Leiweke are making solid hires and fans should be very encouraged about the future of the organization.