Eric Nyquist
Chief Impact Officer, National Association for Stock Car Racing
Eric Nyquist is the Chief Impact Officer for NASCAR. For nearly two decades, Nyquist has led strategic development processes across the sport, managing the organizational restructuring, operational direction, and future strategic path of over a dozen different operating divisions. In this role, Nyquist works closely with NASCAR President Steve Phelps, ownership, and senior leadership in coordinating key strategic development activities and operations across NASCAR’s five offices, 15 company-owned racetracks and numerous industry stakeholders.
In 2020, as NASCAR faced unprecedented operational concerns with the pandemic and an emerging national social justice movement, Nyquist played a key leadership role in helping navigate the industry through the unique challenges that impacted virtually every element of the business. Under Phelps’ lead, Nyquist and senior colleagues worked to swiftly implement COVID-19 safety protocols that allowed NASCAR to be the first sport back to competition and the first sport to safely welcome back fans, as well as making the important decision to ban the confederate flag from all NASCAR events and properties. Under Nyquist’s leadership, NASCAR launched its first ever corporate leadership and social responsibility platform, as well as making significant operating changes to prioritize inclusion of all race fans as an organizational strategic north star. In recognition of these efforts, NASCAR was named Sports League of the Year the Sports Business Journal’s prestigious Sports Business Awards in 2021, the first time a non-stick & ball league has won the award in nearly two decades.
Since his arrival in 2005, Nyquist has led several key strategic initiatives including the creation of race team ownership charters, founding NASCAR’s sustainability, social justice and community engagement platform, the introduction of American Ethanol into the competition fuel blend, the launch of the NASCAR Media Group, the creation of the NASCAR Hall of Fame in Charlotte, NC, and the transformation of company-wide business planning processes. In his leadership position, Nyquist has managed over a dozen departments and office locations, including both the New York and Los Angeles offices. Nyquist serves on the advisory board of Duke University Fuqua School of Business Center on Ethics & Leadership and is a member of the Anti-Defamation League Sports Leadership Council. In 2011, Nyquist was named to Sports Business Journal’s 40 Under 40 list.
Prior to joining NASCAR, Nyquist served for five years as Executive Vice President across the Chicago White Sox, Chicago Bulls and United Center organizations, leading strategic development and reporting to ownership. Nyquist started his career in 1998 at the National Football League in New York, working as a strategic financial analyst in Roger Goodell’s League Development group.
Nyquist has a bachelor’s degree (economics) from Carleton College, an MBA (finance) from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business, and a J.D. from the University of Chicago Law School. Nyquist is a member of the Illinois Bar and has been a guest lecturer at several graduate schools, including Harvard, Yale, Stanford, MIT, University of Virginia, University of Chicago and Northwestern.
Nyquist was born and raised in Albert Lea, Minn. and currently resides with his wife Michele and three children in Lake Mary, Fla.
Kaia W. Forget
Kaia W. Forgét is the Vice President of Community Impact & DEI for Orlando City SC and Orlando Pride. She joined the front office of the Club in 2015 as the former USL franchise played their first season in Major League Soccer, added a NWSL professional women’s team in 2016, and built a downtown soccer-specific stadium in 2017. She currently leads the Club’s corporate social responsibility strategy which is focused on creating a more diverse, equitable, and inclusive culture of belonging across the enterprise and beyond. She also serves as the Executive Director of Orlando Soccer Foundation, Inc., whose mission is to leverage the popularity and reach of professional soccer to support efforts that advance the well-being of youth, promote health and wellness, and assist, encourage, and enrich the lives of those in need in the Central Florida community.
Originally from New Hampshire, Kaia attended Canisius College in Buffalo, NY on a Division I soccer scholarship where she earned a B.A. in Communication Studies. After graduation she played one year for the Buffalo FFillies USL W-League team while completing an AmeriCorps service year working in the Buffalo community. Kaia moved to Orlando to attend the University of Central Florida where she earned an M.A. in Mass Communication. She spent seven years working for Orange County Public Schools, three years with the Orlando Regional Chamber of Commerce, and seven years at the Edyth Bush Institute for Philanthropy & Nonprofit Leadership (EBI), a Center of Excellence at Rollins College’s Crummer Graduate School of Business.
In addition to serving on the Board of Directors for The Institute, Kaia is a Member of the Institute for Diversity Certification (IDC), serves on the Corporate Equality Council for The Pride Chamber, is a Special Olympics Florida – Race For Inclusion Committee Member, 100 Women Strong – Central Florida Member, Heart of Florida United Way – Women United Member, and a WISE – Women in Sports & Events – Member & Mentor. Outside of her professional commitments, Kaia has two daughters, enjoys sports and the outdoors, and loves to travel.
