James H. Clark facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
James H. Clark
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Clark in 2013
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James Henry Clark
March 23, 1944 |
| Alma mater | University of Utah University of New Orleans |
| Spouse(s) | Nancy Rutter Kristy Hinze (m. 2009) |
| Children | 4 |
| Scientific career | |
| Fields | Computer science Computer graphics |
| Institutions | Silicon Graphics Netscape New York Institute of Technology Stanford University |
| Thesis | 3-D design of free-form B-spline surfaces (1974) |
| Doctoral advisor | Ivan Sutherland |
James Henry Clark, born on March 23, 1944, is an American businessman and computer expert. He started many famous technology companies in Silicon Valley, like Silicon Graphics, Netscape, myCFO, and Healtheon. His work in computer graphics helped create systems that quickly show three-dimensional computer images.
In 1998, Clark was chosen to be a member of the National Academy of Engineering. This was for his important work in computer graphics and for leading the computer industry.
Contents
Early Life and Education
James Clark was born in Plainview, Texas, on March 23, 1944. He left high school when he was 16. After that, he spent four years in the US Navy, where he learned about electronics.
Clark started taking night classes at Tulane University. Even without a high school diploma, he earned enough credits to get into the University of New Orleans. There, he earned his bachelor's and master's degrees in physics. Later, he earned a Ph.D. in computer science from the University of Utah in 1974.
Career in Technology
Working in Academia
After getting his doctorate, Clark worked at the New York Institute of Technology's Computer Graphics Lab. He was an assistant professor at the University of California, Santa Cruz from 1974 to 1978. Then, he moved to Stanford University as an associate professor of electrical engineering from 1979 to 1982.
Clark's research focused on geometry pipelines. These are special computer programs or parts that make it faster to show three-dimensional images. His group's biggest achievement was the Geometry Engine. This was an early piece of hardware that helped create computer images based on geometric shapes. He developed it in 1979 with his students at Stanford.
Founding Silicon Graphics
In 1982, Clark and some of his students from Stanford started a company called Silicon Graphics (SGI). The first computers from Silicon Graphics were mainly terminals. But soon, they made standalone Unix computers with very fast graphics hardware.
By 1991, Silicon Graphics was a world leader in making visual effects for Hollywood movies and 3D images. They focused on high-end customers who would pay more for their special hardware and graphics software. Clark left Silicon Graphics in early 1994 because he had different ideas about the company's future.
Starting Netscape
In February 1994, Clark looked for Marc Andreessen. Andreessen had helped create Mosaic, which was the first easy-to-use software for looking at the World Wide Web.
Clark and Andreessen then founded Netscape. They developed the Netscape Navigator web browser. Netscape's start and its first public sale of shares in 1995 helped kick off the Internet boom on Wall Street. Clark's first investment in Netscape was $4 million in 1994. He made a lot of money when Netscape was bought by AOL in 1999.
Healtheon and WebMD
In 1995, Clark became interested in making healthcare paperwork simpler. He started a company called Healtheon in early 1996. Healtheon aimed to remove the paperwork and complex steps in medical care. While this was a big goal, it did help make medical record technology more organized.
Another company, WebMD, was also working on medical content. Knowing WebMD had support from Microsoft, Clark decided to combine Healtheon with WebMD. This created the WebMD Corporation. Today, WebMD is a top source for health information on the Internet.
Other Ventures and Interests
In 1999, Clark started myCFO. This company helped wealthy people in Silicon Valley manage their money. Later, most of myCFO's operations were sold to Harris Bank.
Clark was also a founder and investor in a company called DNA Sciences. This company aimed to understand the genetics of common diseases. He also helped produce the 2009 movie The Cove. His funding helped buy special camera and sound equipment for the film. The movie talks about the killing of whales and dolphins in Japan.
Clark is also a main investor in the mobile technology company Ibotta. In 2017, he launched CommandScape, a secure system for managing buildings. In 2020, he announced funding for Beyond Identity, a product that removes the need for passwords.
Awards and Recognition
Clark has received many awards for his work.
- In 1984, he received the ACM SIGGRAPH Computer Graphics Achievement Award.
- In 1996, he received the Golden Plate Award from the American Academy of Achievement.
- In 1997, he received the Kilby International Awards for his ideas in computer graphics.
- In 1988, he won the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award in Northern California.
- In 1998, the University of East Anglia gave him an honorary Doctor of Science degree.
Personal Life
Clark has been married four times and has four children. His divorce from his third wife, Nancy Rutter, was very costly. In 2009, he married Australian model Kristy Hinze. They have two daughters, Dylan Vivienne and Harper Hazelle.
In 2022, he made the largest home sale in Florida's history. He sold a large property in Manalapan, Florida, for about $175 million.
Yachting and Flying
Clark loves sailing but prefers calm waters because of an ankle condition. He has owned several large sailing yachts.
- Hyperion was the world's largest sloop when it was launched in 1998. Clark developed special systems to control and optimize the yacht.
- Comanche is a fast carbon fiber yacht. It has won many offshore races, including the Sydney-Hobart race in 2015. It also set a new speed record in the 2015 Transatlantic race.
He still owns two other large sailing yachts:
- Athena, a 90-meter three-mast gaff-rigged aluminum schooner.
- Hanuman, a replica of the J-Class yacht Endeavour II.
Clark is also a pilot. He enjoys flying helicopters, gliders, and acrobatic aircraft.
Helping Others (Philanthropy)
Clark has given a lot of money to Stanford University. In 1999, he promised $150 million for the James H. Clark Center for Biomedical Engineering. This center helps with research that combines different science fields. This was the largest gift to Stanford at the time, besides the university's founding gift.
In 2001, Clark took back some of his pledge. He was upset about government rules on stem cell research. He felt that government funding was important for research. However, in 2013, he promised another $60 million to Stanford for research. His full promise was met in 2020. He also gave $10 million for fellowships at the Stanford Institute for Theoretical Physics.
In 2004, Clark and David Filo from Yahoo! each gave $30 million to Tulane University's School of Engineering. This money was for scholarships to help students study engineering.
Clark is also on the board of the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) and supports their work.
See also
In Spanish: James H. Clark para niños
- Catmull–Clark subdivision surface, a 3D modeling technique Clark helped create.
