James Goodnight

James Goodnight

Chief Executive Officer of SAS Institute
Date of Birth: 06.01.1943
Country: USA

Content:
  1. Biography of James Goodnight
  2. Early Life and Education
  3. Passion for Computers and Programming
  4. Co-founding SAS Institute
  5. SAS Institute and its Impact
  6. Personal Traits

Biography of James Goodnight

James "Jim" Goodnight is the Chief Executive Officer of SAS Institute and is widely recognized as one of the wealthiest individuals in North Carolina and the world. His net worth is estimated at $8.7 billion.

James Goodnight

Early Life and Education

Goodnight was born in Salisbury, North Carolina. His family lived in Greensboro for a long time before relocating to Wilmington when he was twelve years old. Like many young people his age, he worked part-time at his father's hardware store. Goodnight attended New Hanover High School and had a preference for mathematics and chemistry. For his further education, he chose a private school in Raleigh.

James Goodnight

Passion for Computers and Programming

While taking computer courses, Goodnight developed a deep passion for computers - "machines that could do something for humans." The following summer, he started writing programs for the agricultural economics faculty. A few years later, while working for a contractor, he became extremely interested in the possibility of humans landing on the moon. His programming skills helped him establish a relationship with a company involved in building electronic equipment for ground stations that would communicate with the Apollo spacecraft.

Co-founding SAS Institute

In the 1960s, Goodnight became one of the co-founders of SAS Institute. During that time, the company developed its first software module, SAS Base, for analyzing agricultural data at the University of North Carolina (where Goodnight later earned a doctorate in statistics, working there from 1972 to 1976). It is no surprise that SAS has always maintained close ties with the academic community in higher education and scientific research. The company brings its extensive experience in statistics, data mining, querying, and reporting, as well as multidimensional analysis, to students and faculty.

SAS Institute and its Impact

SAS Institute has been providing its full suite of software products and solutions to universities and research institutions, serving as a "window to the business world." SAS enables organizations worldwide to extract meaningful information from vast amounts of business data. This information helps companies generate and manage knowledge, develop innovative ideas, and maintain a competitive advantage.

Personal Traits

Goodnight, the CEO of SAS Institute, is known for his remarkable humility. He commutes to work by train, dresses casually, prefers to interact with colleagues and subordinates in an informal setting, and keeps his office door open at all times.

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