No. 319United States
James Goodnight
Software · Cary, North Carolina
Net worth
$11.1B
Today
$00.00%Past month
−$616M−5.27%As of Nov 11, 2026, 1:50 PM EST
James Goodnight cofounded the analytics software firm SAS in 1976 with John Sall, whom he met while a PhD student at North Carolina State University. Goodnight has been at the helm since the company's inception, when it developed software to analyze agricultural data. SAS products are used by more than 80,800 organizations around the world; 2022 revenues were more than $3 billion. Goodnight and Sall, who is also a billionaire, founded private school Cary Academy together and co-own a country club and a hotel.
Net worth over time
−5.27%−$616M over the past month
$12B$11B$11B
Oct 12Nov 11
Principal holdings
1 positions| Company | Industry | Share | Value |
|---|---|---|---|
Private holdings | Technology | 100.0% | $11.1B |
Also known for
- Goodnight considered taking SAS public in 1999 while the dot-com boom approached its peak, but resisted the urge and avoided the steep market drop.
- SAS is best known for its employee-friendly programs like sports leagues, day care and an on-site pharmacy.
“Ninety-five percent of my assets drive out the gate every evening. It's my job to maintain a work environment that keeps those people coming back every morning.”