James Goodnight Net Worth, Biography and Career

James Goodnight Net Worth $10 Billion

Born on January 6, 1943, in Salisbury, North Carolina, Jim Goodnight is the co-founder and chief executive officer of the world’s leading business analytics software provider, SAS.

As the company’s chief executive, Mr. Goodnight has led it since its inception in 1976, overseeing an uninterrupted chain of revenue increment and profitability that has never been seen in the industry. Under his leadership, SAS has become famed for its innovation and corporate culture.

His commitment to his job and all the efforts he puts into his work-life balance has established SAS as one of the “best workplaces”, appearing on several lists worldwide, including No. 1 on the Great Place to Work Institute’s multinational ranking and No. 1 on the Fortune list for the United States.

Goodnight, who has a firm and dedicated relationship with his home state, attended North Carolina State University (NCSU) where he earned his bachelor’s degree in applied mathematics as well as his master’s in statistics. He also earned his Ph.D. in statistics at the same University.

His passion for learning led him to award countless North Carolina State University professorships and make education the primary focus of SAS’ philanthropy. In 1997 he co-established Cary Academy, an independent college preparatory school for students in grades six through twelve, with the goal of creating an ideal school for integrating tech into all facets of education.

A champion of education reform, this businessman spearheaded the formation of a national Business Roundtable report calling on top business leaders to support and back efforts to improve early learning and reading proficiency.

In North Carolina, Mr. Goodnight rallied a group of chief executive officers to the cause, which contributed to intensification in funding that allows more worthy children to enter North Carolina State’s high-quality prekindergarten program.

Under his direction and wise administration, SAS has focused on helping students, independent learners and educators develop sought-after skills through numerous innovative programs, partnerships, and technology offerings. His efforts have never gone unnoticed, and his career has helped him accomplish many things to his name.

Early Life: Childhood, Education

He was born James Howard Goodnight on January 6, 1943, in Salisbury, North Carolina to Albert Goodnight and Dorothy Patterson. He lived with his parents in Greensboro until he was 12 when his family relocated to Wilmington.

As a child, Jim worked at his father’s hardware store. He was always brilliant from the beginning and dreamed of achieving many great things in life.

It was this quest for greatness that drove him to complete his bachelor’s and master’s degrees at North Carolina State University, where he eventually started his career while still studying as an undergraduate.

Professional Life: Entrepreneurial Career

Mr. Goodnight’s career with computers started with a computer course at the reputed North Carolina State University. One summer he received a job offer that had him writing software programs for the school’s agricultural economics department.

He was a member of the Beta-Beta chapter of Tau Kappa Epsilon at North Carolina State University and contributed to the building of a new fraternity house for the chapter in 2002.

After receiving a master’s degree in statistics in the year 1968, Jim Goodnight went on to work at a company building electronic gear for the ground stations that transmitted info with the Apollo space capsules.

While working on the Apollo program, he experienced a work environment with a high revenue rate, and this shaped his understanding of corporate culture. After working on the Apollo project, he returned to North Carolina State University where he earned a Ph.D. in statistics. He was a faculty member there from 1972 to 1976.

Today, Mr. Goodnight is the co-founder and chief executive officer of the world’s leading business analytics software vendor, SAS.

Through his capacity as the company’s chief executive, he has led it since it was founded in 1976, overseeing a chain of revenue increment and profitability. Under his leadership, SAS, now a globally recognized company, has become famed for its innovation and corporate culture.

The company is hailed as one of the “best workplaces” in the world and is considered one of the most successful businesses in the United States.

Personal Life: Wife, Children, Private Interests, Charity

James has been married to his wife for many years now, and they have three children of their own.

In 1996, he and his wife, along with his long-time business partner, John Sall, and his wife Ginger, established the independent preparatory school Cary Academy.

The Goodnights are involved in the local Cary, North Carolina community. His wife opened an Asian fusion restaurant called An Cuisines in Cary, North Carolina.

James Goodnight Net Worth: Salary, Income Sources, Assets

Jim Goodnight’s net worth is around the $10 billion mark as of this writing. This intelligent American businessman and software programmer has been able to make his wealth from his profession as the chief executive officer of the business analytics software firm SAS Institute, a company he founded in 1976 with his business partner John Sall who is also a billionaire today.

His programming skills have been helping him since his days as a young boy and has been instrumental in landing juicy positions in all the companies he has worked for and still working for. To also mention, this billionaire has an interest in improving elementary and secondary education in his home state of North Carolina.