UM News Service
MISSOULA – Two of the University of Montana’s most successful alumni, Steven Rinella and Eric Sprunk, will receive honorary doctorates from their alma mater during UM Spring Commencement ceremonies on Saturday, May 10.
Rinella is the New York Times-bestselling author of more than 10 books, the star of the Netflix television series “MeatEater” and the host of “The MeatEater Podcast.” Hailing from Twin Lake, Michigan, Rinella has become an influential thought leader for connecting modern society with nature. UM will present him with an Honorary Doctorate of Forestry and Conservation.
A homegrown Missoula native, Sprunk worked at Nike Inc. for 27 years, rising to the rank of chief operating officer as he helped transform and grow one of the world’s most recognizable and successful brands. UM will present him with an Honorary Doctorate of Business.
These two outstanding alumni will serve as this year’s UM Spring Commencement speakers.
Steven Rinella
Rinella was taught to hunt and fish at an early age by his father. He earned a master’s degree in creative nonfiction from UM in 2000, and he published his first book, “The Scavenger’s Guide to Haute Cuisine” in 2006. Other books followed, including “MeatEater: Adventures from the Life of an American Hunter” in 2013. Among his New York Times bestsellers are 2024’s “The MeatEater Outdoor Cookbook.”
His hit hunting and fishing program, “MeatEater,” ran for six seasons on the Sportsman Channel before moving to Netflix in 2018.
“Rinella uses a trademark blend of storytelling, scholarly insight and thoughtful dialogue to enrich our national conversation around wildlife, landscape conservation and food systems,” said Randall Williams, who earned a history doctorate from UM in 2015 and now works as a senior editor for MeatEater Inc. “He approaches political and social topics with a nuance and humility, acknowledging the validity of multiple viewpoints without abandoning his own personal convictions and rigorous skepticism.”
Williams said Rinella uses his multimedia platforms to bring together people who don’t always get along – everyone from hunters, vegetarians and ranchers to environmentalists and researchers. “Rinella has the rare ability to translate academic research and complex ideas for a general audience without sacrificing intellectual depth or nuance,” he said.
Chad Bishop, who directs UM’s Wildlife Biology Program, said Rinella promotes a thoughtful consideration of hunting ethics, which is necessary to sustain support for hunting in a society increasingly composed of non-hunters.
“I think Steven Rinella’s career success represents the power of a UM education,” Bishop said. “He was formally educated within our renowned creative writing program and went on to have a significant, positive impact on wildlife conservation.”
Ben Long, a Kalispell author and conservationist, said Rinella has “raised the bar” for intelligent outdoors content while becoming the most recognized face of the hunting and angling community.
“Rinella has been called a ‘celebrity hunter,’” Long said. “His efforts have helped secure millions of dollars annually for habitat restoration, wildlife research and public land access.”
Eric Sprunk
Sprunk said playing basketball for Hellgate High School in Missoula helped develop the discipline and passion for athletics that propelled his professional business career. In 1987 he earned an accounting degree from the UM College of Business. He then worked seven years for Price Waterhouse in both Portland and Seattle, receiving early promotions twice.
One of the accounts he worked on was Nike, and soon officials there wooed him to “just do it” and bring his Montana work ethic and infectious positivity to their company. He joined Nike in 1993, and quickly rose through the ranks, serving in various executive positions over three decades.
Sprunk spent half of his career as the executive vice president and general manager of global product and merchandising. He helped shape Nike’s product portfolio and lead the company’s global strategy, setting new standards for product innovation, design and merchandising. When he retired after seven years as chief operating officer in 2020, he had demonstrated the unique ability to drive large-scale transformation within a complex, diverse, global business environment while consistently delivering shareholder value and business outcomes.
And there were perks. Sprunk was able to meet the world’s best athletes and attend the biggest sporting events across the globe. At the same time, his loyalty to Griz Nation provided a pathway for UM grads who wanted to work at Nike.
“Eric is known not only for his business acumen but also for fostering trust and loyalty among employees, customers and partners – qualities that set him apart in the global business landscape,” said Suzanne Tillman, the UM business college dean whose position Sprunk helped endow. “To this day, Eric credits much of his success to the lessons he learned (at UM) and the relationships he built along the way.”
“The greatest compliment I can give Eric is how he treats people,” UM Athletic Director Kent Haslam said. “He is never too busy, never too important … to focus on someone else and make them feel like the most important thing in his life at the moment.
“If you want to show students what you can do with a degree from UM, Eric Sprunk would be display No. 1.”
