Early Life
Mike Repole was born in Middle Village, Queens, New York City, on January 21, 1969. His parents, Annie and Benny Repole, were Italian immigrants. His mother was a seamstress, and his father was a waiter. Repole was the first person in his family to graduate from college. He attended St. Margaret's Elementary and Holy Cross High School before earning a degree in Sports Administration from St. John's University in 1991.
Rise to Success
Repole's career began at Mistic Beverages. He later joined Crystal Geyser Water Company, where he became Vice President of Sales. In 1999, Repole co-founded Energy Brands, also known as Glaceau, with J. Darius Bikoff. This company produced Smartwater and Vitaminwater, which quickly became top-selling brands. Glaceau was acquired by Coca-Cola in 2007 for $4.1 billion. Repole then became the chairman of Pirate's Booty and helped the company grow significantly. He co-founded BodyArmor SuperDrink with Lance Collins in 2011. Coca-Cola acquired the remaining stake in BodyArmor in November 2021 for $5.6 billion.
Key Business Strategies
Repole focused on creating innovative products in the beverage industry, challenging existing market leaders like Gatorade with BodyArmor. He strategically partnered with athletes, offering them equity in exchange for endorsement, which included figures such as Kobe Bryant, James Harden, and Naomi Osaka. Repole's success is attributed to his visionary approach, the ability to spot market gaps, and create healthier hydration options.
Philanthropy
Repole is known for his philanthropic efforts, particularly through the Nonna's Garden Foundation, which was established in 2006 in honor of his grandmother who battled T-cell lymphoma. The foundation has donated millions of dollars to cancer research at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSK). In November 2021, the foundation gifted $50 million to MSK, and the MSK Commack building was renamed the MSK Commack Nonna's Garden Foundation Center in recognition of this contribution.
