Phil Knight & family
Nike · Hillsboro, Oregon
Net worth
$25.8B
Today
−$102M−0.39%Past month
+$910M+3.66%As of Nov 11, 2026, 1:50 PM EST
Phil Knight, cofounder of shoe giant Nike, retired as chairman in 2016 after 52 years at the company. Knight ran track at the University of Oregon and created Nike shoes with his former track coach, Bill Bowerman. In 1964, they each put up $500 to start Blue Ribbon Sports. Knight & family still own 21% of the $46 billion (fiscal 2026 revenue) company now known as Nike. Knight and his wife Penny have given $4.5 billion to charity so far--mainly through their Knight Foundation. They rank among America's top philanthropists. The Knights have pledged over $500 million in donations to each of the University of Oregon and Stanford University, Phil's alma maters. The couple pledged $400 million to help rebuild Portland, Oregon's historically Black Albina neighborhood in 2023. In 2025, the Knights pledged another $2 billion to Oregon Health & Science University's Knight Cancer Institute.
Net worth over time
Principal holdings
2 positions| Company | Industry | Share | Value |
|---|---|---|---|
Private and other holdings | Fashion & Retail | 54.7% | $14.1B |
Nike NYSE: NKE | Fashion & Retail | 45.3% | $11.7B |
Also known for
- Before cofounding Nike, Knight sold Japanese running shoes from the trunk of his car.
- Knight paid a Portland State University student $35 to design Nike's iconic "Swoosh" logo.
“It is hard enough out there. Get all the help you can. Getting help really is just a part of that lifelong search for wisdom.”