Converse and representatives from the Council of Presidents, which comprises the leadership of nine historic African-American Fraternities and Sororities, have entered into a long-term licensing agreement in order to dismiss a trademark infringement lawsuit filed in 2003 by six of the organisations. The agreement enables Converse to manufacture, distribute and sell footwear featuring the trademarks of these organisations which represent over 1.8 million members worldwide.

As part of the agreement, Converse will pay the organisations a percentage of the gross revenue on every product sold by Converse that bears the trademark of the organisations. One of the avenues available for a partnership with the company will be products that feature the respective Centennial celebrations in 2008 for the Converse brand and for Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. Converse will also host cross-functional summer internships to college and university students from the organisations beginning in June 2007. The internships will offer graduate level students the opportunity to work in finance, brand and product marketing functions of the company.

Commenting on the deal, Samuel Hamilton, chairman of The Council of Presidents and CEO of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc., said: “This is an example of how a disagreement can be channelled into co-operation. It is in our mutual interests to develop licensed products that our members will want to support while also providing training to some of our future business executives. That is in line with our mission and serves our members.”

The organisations participating in the agreement are Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc., Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc., Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc., Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc., Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc., and lota Phi Theta Fraternity, Inc.