Spartan Profiles: Nancy Haley

TEHAMA DESIGNS

            For the first time ever, the PGA of America’s Ernie Sabayrac Award for lifetime contributions to the golf industry went to a woman—Nancy (Sisson) Haley, BFA ’72, of Golden, CO, the CEO of Teh?ma, a golf apparel design and manufacturing company she founded with actor Clint Eastwood 10 years ago. 

            A native of Lathrup Village, Haley chose MSU over the University of Michigan “because I felt really comfortable and the campus is awesome.”  At MSU, she majored in graphic arts design, joined the Chi Omega sorority and was named one of 50 outstanding seniors. After MSU, she started a business designing interiors for model homes in Denver while raising two sons. In 1985, she began designing golf apparel and her company, Sport-Haley, went public in 1992. 

            Haley retired in 1996, with annual sales of just over $21 million.  But in April 1997, actor Clint Eastwood came calling proposing they form a partnership for a new golf apparel company.  “He looked me in the eye and said, ‘We’ll call it Teh?ma,’” recalls Nancy, noting that was the name of Eastwood’s golf club in Carmel Valley, CA.  “You don’t say ‘No’ to Dirty Harry.” A deal was promptly signed, and in 10 years under Nancy’s direction, Teh?ma has become a prominent golf brand—sold even at MSU’s Forest Akers clubhouse. She has since signed licensing agreements with the Izod G brand and with IMG and Arnold Palmer. 

            Today the company is averaging about $50 million a year in sales.  “In the future, we’re looking to expand to big box retailers,” says Nancy.  “We’re already in 42 Nordstroms.”  Nancy’s success has not gone unnoticed.  In 2005, Golf Digest named her one of  “The 40 Most Powerful People in Golf” alongside such names as Jack Nicklaus, Ely Callaway and Arnold Palmer.  She was also ranked in the “Top 5 in Fashion” along with legendary designers like Ralph Lauren.