James Goodnight
James H. Goodnight, Ph.D. is a man on a significant mission: upgrading our nation’s educational system through technology integration. With the Goodnight Educational Foundation and SAS Institute, he has consistently contributed to the local community in North Carolina. Although born in Salisbury on January 6, 1943, he spent his growing up years in Greensboro and Wilmington. A true North Carolina State University alumnus, he finished his bachelor’s, master’s and statistics doctorate degrees in 1965, 1968, and 1972 respectively.
James Goodnight’s career followed a stable, unsurprising path from being part of the NASA Apollo space program in 1966 as computer programmer to being a faculty member with his Alma Mater from 1971-1976. This predictability, however, ended with the incorporation of SAS that James Goodnight founded and where he served as CEO, president, board member and computer programmer. Today, the company is the industry leader in business intelligence software, with Fortune 500 companies among its long-time clientele.
Recognized as one of the “20th Century’s Great American Business Leaders” by the Harvard Business School in 2004, James Goodnight was also named one of “America’s 25 Most Fascinating Entrepreneurs” by Inc. Magazine.
Even more inspiring than his unconventional success, is James Goodnight’s whole-hearted involvement in philanthropic initiatives. One such case is James Goodnight’s establishment in 1996 of the Cary Academy, set to be a model preparatory day school for 6th-12th graders in effectively harnessing technology in all aspects of education. Another personal project is the SAS inSchool, now SAS Curriculum Pathways, which develops pioneer teaching courseware and other educational technologies.
Over the years, he has gifted several educational institutions as well. The William and Ida Friday Institute for Educational Innovation received $5 million. NCSU’s new graduate business degree program for analytics also got a $ 2 million donation, on top of a $1 million software grant to the university. Many local high schools such as Wilson County High School, Garner High School, Wake County’s Centennial middle School, and Garner High School received personal computers.
In 2006, Jim Goodnight donated $970 million to Wake County’s largest school construction bond proposal. Aside from his numerous education involvements, he also began an art collection that he will turn over to the N.C. Museum of Art and the Contemporary Art Museum. The N.C. Museum of Natural Sciences’ North Carolina Treasures section has a rock collection that came from him. This is aside from the Mountains to the Sea Exhibit that he financed. He also gives financial aid to Carolina Ballet, N.C.