The first person Donald Trump thanked after he took the stage at Philadelphia’s Sneaker Con last week to announce his signature shoe was Horsham native Chase Young, writes Ryan Mulligan for the Philadelphia Business Journal.

The 28-year-old’s company consulted on the launch of the $399 former president’s sneakers that sold out within minutes of going on sale. He also introduced Trump at the event.

“It was a surreal moment just being with the president, being able to be a part of this release, and then afterward actually auctioning off the pair of shoes that he signed,” said Young.

“Being a part of this whole journey has been really, really cool.”

Young was approached about the sneaker in January by Bill Zanker, an entrepreneur who once co-authored a book with Trump. He told Young that Trump wanted to drop a shoe line and his team wanted to tap into Young’s knowledge of the market for the rollout.

Culture Kicks did not work on the shoe’s design but consulted on most of the drop, including the initial production of 1,000 pairs and their price points. The company also influenced the decision to unveil the shoe in Philadelphia.

Read more about Chase Young and Donald Trump’s $399 sneakers in the Philadelphia Business Journal.

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