Marilyn Tam has had an extraordinarily diverse life, from her beginnings in a traditional
Chinese family in Hong Kong to her meteoric rise in the international business world to become
an influential corporate leader, speaker, corporate consultant, author and respected
humanitarian. She has held prominent executive roles at numerous of world-class companies,
including CEO of Aveda, President of Reebok Apparel & Retail Group and Vice President of
Nike. She is also a successful entrepreneur, having developed and built three companies in
fields as diverse as a corporate consulting & training company, a web portal company and a
web-based supply chain software company. Ms. Tam consults and speaks globally with Fortune
500 companies, governments and non-profit organizations on leadership, change
management, diversity and how to integrate social & environmental concerns into businesses
profitably. Her leadership as President of Reebok’s Apparel and Retail
Products Group was also marked by remarkable achievements. She has increasingly solidified
her reputation as an accomplished strategist and singularly effective leader. She brought
prominence and focus to the Greg Norman Golf Division and helped launch Weebok, the
children’s footwear and clothing division of Reebok. She served for five years on the
international board of The Reebok Human Rights Awards, along with former President Jimmy
Carter; renowned musicians Peter Gabriel, and Sting, Rafer Johnson, Chairman of the Special
Olympics; and Kerry Kennedy Cuomo of the Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Center, and Paul
Fireman, Chairman of Reebok International Ltd. She was awarded The Reebok Human Rights
Award for her humanitarian work.
Achieving Leadership Excellence
Marilyn's Profile
Marilyn Tam is also the author of How to Use
What
You've
Got To Get What You Want.
In GLOW, a documentary movie released in November 2008, she was featured as one of
fourteen accomplished, influential and inspiring women along with Cathie Black, president of
Hearst magazines, Sheila Johnson, co-founder of BET.
In The Compass, a movie released in mid February 2009, Marilyn is one of four story
tellers along with other respected experts in the fields of personal development, relationships,
fulfillment and motivation. The Compass is a movie on personal growth, a story about the
journey through life and the lessons we learn along the way.
She is also a successful entrepreneur, having developed and built three companies in
fields as diverse as corporate consulting & training company, a web portal company and a
supply chain software company.
Ms. Tam consults and speaks globally with Fortune 500 companies, governments and non-
profit organizations and on leadership, change management, diversity and how to integrate
social & environmental concerns into businesses profitably.
She is a director on the national board of SCORE Foundation. SCORE is the Resource
Partner of the U.S. Small Business Administration and is dedicated to entrepreneurial education
and the development, growth and success of small businesses nationwide.
She was the Co-Chair of the N. American Marketing and Promotions for Universal Forum of
Cultures, Barcelona 2004 and now is the co-chair for Universal Forum of Cultures, Monterrey
2007.
Ms. Tam is the co-founder and Executive Director of the Us Foundation. hose mission is to
facilitate global action plans and dialogue to address social, economic and environmental
issues. Us Foundation is one of the partners for United Nations Habitat-II, and was nominated
as a candidate for the “Best Practice Award” from the United Nations’ Habitat II.
Whether she is directly improving the lot of workers in her contract factories around the
world, consulting with corporations and governments or developing and conducting seminars
and lectures to train other entrepreneurs in business leadership programs at several
prestigious Universities internationally, Ms. Tam always gives back. She is committed to the
belief that humanitarian service is integral to and provides an essential balance and relevance
to her work.
Ms. Tam is a lifetime member of Who’s Who World Wide and is listed in Who’s Who in
American Women. She will be honored for work by the Greek government and the Euro
American Women’s Council in Athens, October 2005 with her likeness on a Greek postage
stamp.
She was invited by the Chinese government to appear as a keynote speaker at The
Canton
Fair, the biggest manufacturing fair in China, attended every year by tens of thousands of
manufacturers and retailers from around the world.
Ms. Tam is an advisor to the country of Bhutan, working with the Ministers and government
officials to transition the country into the 21st Century while retaining their cultural and
environmental heritage.
In 2004 Marilyn was recognized as one of the Top 30 Female
Entrepreneurs in the USA by Fempreneur magazine. She is featured as one of 50 women in
the best selling book, “Fearless Women, midlife portraits” by Nancy Alspaugh, Marilyn Kentz,
Mary Ann Halpin in 2005.
Topic Categories
Executive Insights
Ethnically Diverse Speakers
Diversity, Culture
Presentation Titles
Leadership Excellence: How You Can Achieve It -- Whatever qualities you have,
no matter how limited or broad that they may be in your own mind, veteran corporate
executive Marilyn Tam has set out to show people how to use what they've got to achieve their
dreams. What seemed to be disadvantages in Marilyn's life were in fact her keys to personal
and professional freedom. Hear stories, learn principles, and then apply action steps from her
global business and consulting experience. You will learn from someone who has
actually "walked the walk" and can show you how to develop your assets and apply them
effectively to your mission.
Leadership Diversity: It's Everybody's Business -- Learning how to deal with
diversity and how to be a leader in a more diverse and global world is a challenge and an
opportunity. Indeed, embracing and leveraging diversity is the only way to prosper and grow in
the 21st century. In Marilyn Tam's interactive leadership development program you will hear
stories, learn principles, and apply action steps from her global business and consulting
experience to become a more successful leader. Learn from someone who has actually "walked
the walk" and shows how to develop assets to apply effectively to any mission. Marilyn
discusses the four principles which helped propel her to lead several Fortune 500 companies,
despite her challenging background as a second daughter in a traditional Chinese family.
Diversity: Reaping the Rich Harvest of Culture, Creativity and Community
How to Increase Productivity and Morale in times of Uncertainty: Change Management
Corporate Humanity: The Benefits of Community Service
Change Management: Gaining Benefits and Morale in Reengineering & Mergers
Enlightened Productivity: Bottom Line Benefits of a Values Driven Organization
Competitive Edge - Tools for 21st Century Success
Breakthrough Ideas: Championing Them Through the Marketplace
Audience Testimonials
“I have heard from many of the participants who have said this was the best conference yet
and they could really feel a different energy and excitement level. I attribute it to you who
brought such great insight and a wealth of knowledge to the group. I can't thank you
enough.” -- Jackie O'Sullivan, Workforce Diversity Program Manager, IBM World Headquarters,
Armonk, NY
“Thank you. I have reflected on your remarks from my team meeting and continue to be
inspired by your story and your journey.” -- Meg Crofton, Executive Vice President Human
Resources,,Walt Disney Parks & Resorts, Lake Buena Vista, Florida
“I have heard from many of the participants who have said this was the best conference yet
and they could really feel a different energy and excitement level. I attribute it to you who
brought such great insight and a wealth of knowledge to the group. I can't thank you
enough.” -- Jackie O'Sullivan, Workforce Diversity Program Manager, IBM World Headquarters,
Armonk, NY
"Your business session, "Competitive Edge - Tools for 21st Century Success" was a huge
success. The session was truly a highlight. On behalf of the nearly 2,000 attendees at the
Small Business Administration’s SBA Expo ’05, I express my gratitude." -- Hector V. Barreto
Administrator,,U.S. Small Business Administration, United States of America
“Thank you for a very wonderful presentation to us! I was so impressed by your insightful
speech and advice, plus your passion. We all learned lots from your presentation.” --
Takekazu Kaneko, Executive Vice President, Sumitomo 3M Limited, Tokyo, Japan
In Her Own Words
"The lesson is this: If I can
use what I've got to get what I want, you can too. You are good enough now."
“How to Use What You’ve Got To Get What You Want is now in several languages, my
vision of helping others use their natural assets to achieve their life mission is being realized
more and more each day. I am thrilled for what I have been given and achieved."
