Revolution Owner ROBERT KRAFT was "named the honorary chairman of the board" for the United Bid Committee of Canada, Mexico and the U.S. that will "oversee the bidding process" to bring the '26 FIFA World Cup to North America. Kraft has long been a prominent figure in U.S. soccer, and in the early '90s "secured Foxboro Stadium as a venue to host games" in the '94 World Cup (BOSTON GLOBE,7/20).
LACE 'EM UP: In N.Y., Katherine Rosman profiled Nike Senior Innovator TIFFANY BEERS in the Fashion & Style section. Beers works in the company's Innovation Kitchen, and she had a "successful role as the lead engineer and product manager for the self-lacing McFly, which came onto the market last year as the HyperAdapt 1.0 sneakers." Nike is "showing its commitment to technology, and, as a woman in engineering," Beers has "emerged as a heroine in her own right." She "hopes more affordable future models of the HyperAdapt shoes will make life easier for pregnant women who struggle to bend over and for people with special needs" (N.Y. TIMES, 7/20).
THE GOOD STUFF: In Boston, Kaitlyn Locke noted Gold Medal-winning U.S. gymnast ALY RAISMAN was in Dorchester this week to "promote mattress company Leesa's efforts to help the Boston homeless shelter Heading Home." Raisman, who "became a brand ambassador for Leesa after the Olympics, was on hand for the company's donation of dozens of mattresses to Heading Home." As part of Leesa’s “One-Ten Program,” the company "donates one mattress for every 10 it sells" (BOSTON GLOBE, 7/20).
NAMES: Suffolk County (N.Y.) police said that WWE's SHANE MCMAHON and a pilot made an emergency landing yesterday morning in the waters off Gilgo Beach. McMahon and the pilot "were not injured" (NEWSDAY, 7/20)....Late Triple-A Int'l League Norfolk Tides Exec VP & Senior Advisor to the President DAVE ROSENFIELD will have the league's Exec of the Year Award named after him. Rosenfield passed away in February (PILOTONLINE.com, 7/19)....The Bucks will give $1M in grants to a "variety of organizations." Bucks Foundation Exec Dir ALICIA DUPIES said that the 15 groups "chosen for the grants underwent a review process to ensure that the money would be used for youth education, youth health and wellness and community betterment" (MILWAUKEE JOURNAL SENTINEL, 7/20)....The Jordan Spieth Family Foundation in conjunction with the Northern Texas PGA Junior Golf Foundation will “provide six college scholarships beginning this fall” (DALLASNEWS.com, 7/20)....Former NBAer STEVE NASH and his wife, LILLA FREDERICK, “announced the birth of a baby boy” -- LUCA (AZCENTRAL.com, 7/19)....Among those in attendance at Tuesday night’s Mylan World TeamTennis Washington Kastles home opener were league Majority Owner MARK EIN, CNN VP/Communications MATT DORNIC, Axios Exec VP EVAN RYAN, former Deputy Secretary of State TONY BLINKEN, The Atlantic’s STEVE CLEMONS and Bloomberg News’ MARGARET CARLSON (POLITICO.com, 7/19).
