Phil Knight facts for kids
Phil Knight is an American businessman who co-founded Nike, Inc., one of the most famous sports brands in the world. He also owns the film production company Laika, which makes stop-motion animated movies.
Knight was born in Portland, Oregon. He loved running and was part of the track team at the University of Oregon. Later, he went to business school at Stanford University. He started his shoe business by selling running shoes out of the trunk of his car. Today, he is one of the wealthiest people in the world. He has given billions of dollars to schools and medical research centers.
Quick facts for kids
Phil Knight
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Knight in 1999
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Philip Hampson Knight
February 24, 1938 Portland, Oregon, U.S.
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| Occupation | Businessman |
| Spouse(s) |
Penny Parks
(m. 1968) |
| Children | 2, including Travis Knight |
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Contents
Early life and education
Phil Knight was born on February 24, 1938, in Portland, Oregon. His father was a newspaper publisher. Phil attended Cleveland High School in Portland. As a young man, he wanted a summer job at his father's newspaper, but his father wanted him to find work on his own. Phil found a job at a rival newspaper working the night shift. He would run the full 7 miles (11 km) home every morning after work.
Knight went to college at the University of Oregon in Eugene. He was a middle-distance runner on the track team. His coach was Bill Bowerman, who would later become his business partner. Knight ran a mile in 4 minutes and 13 seconds, which was a very fast time. He graduated with a business degree in 1959.
After college, Knight served in the United States Army and the Army Reserve for several years. He then went to the Stanford Graduate School of Business. In a class about small businesses, he wrote a paper about selling running shoes. He thought that high-quality, low-cost shoes made in Japan could be successful in the United States. He graduated with a master's degree (MBA) in 1962.
Building a business career
Starting Blue Ribbon Sports
After finishing business school, Knight traveled around the world. In November 1962, he visited Kobe, Japan. He discovered a brand of running shoes called Tiger, made by the Onitsuka Company (now known as Asics). He liked the quality and the price. Knight met with the company owner and secured the rights to sell Tiger shoes in the western United States.
When the first samples of the shoes arrived, Knight sent two pairs to his old track coach, Bill Bowerman. He hoped Bowerman would buy some shoes for his team. Instead, Bowerman offered to become Knight's partner. They shook hands on the deal in January 1964. They started a company called Blue Ribbon Sports.
At first, Knight sold the shoes out of his green Plymouth Valiant car at track meets. By 1969, the business was doing well enough that Knight could work there full-time.
Creating Nike
In 1971, the company decided to launch its own brand of shoes. Jeff Johnson, the company's first employee, suggested the name "Nike" after the Greek winged goddess of victory.
Knight needed a logo for the new brand. He paid a graphic design student named Carolyn Davidson $35 to create a design. She created the famous "Swoosh" logo. At the time, Knight said, "I don't love it, but it will grow on me." The Swoosh became one of the most recognized logos in the world. Years later, Knight gave Davidson shares of Nike stock to thank her for her important contribution.
Nike grew very large and signed famous athletes to wear their shoes, including basketball legend Michael Jordan and golfer Tiger Woods.
Laika Animation Studios
In the late 1990s, Knight invested in an animation company called Will Vinton Studios. His son, Travis Knight, worked there as an animator. In 2003, Phil Knight bought the company and renamed it Laika.
Laika became famous for making stop-motion films. Their first movie, Coraline, was released in 2009 and was a big success. Travis Knight later became the CEO of Laika.
Philanthropy and giving back
Phil Knight has donated billions of dollars to charity. He is considered one of the most generous people in the history of Oregon.
Supporting universities
Knight has given a lot of money to the two universities he attended.
- Stanford University: In 2006, he gave $105 million to the business school. Later, he gave $400 million to start a scholarship program called the Knight-Hennessy Scholars. This program helps students from around the world solve global problems like climate change and poverty.
- University of Oregon: Knight has donated over one billion dollars to the University of Oregon. He helped pay for the library renovation and built new science buildings. He also supports the "Oregon Ducks" athletic teams. He helped build the Matthew Knight Arena for basketball and a new facility for the football team.
Medical research
In 2008, Knight and his wife pledged $100 million to the Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU) Cancer Institute. In 2013, he challenged the university to raise $500 million for cancer research, promising to match it with another $500 million of his own money. The university met the goal, and the center is now called the OHSU Knight Cancer Institute.
Personal life
Phil Knight met his wife, Penny Parks, when he was working as a professor at Portland State University. They married in 1968. They live in Oregon and also have a home in California.
They had two sons, Matthew and Travis. Sadly, Matthew passed away in 2004 from a heart condition while scuba diving in El Salvador. The Matthew Knight Arena at the University of Oregon is named in his memory. Their other son, Travis, runs the Laika animation studio.
A movie called Air was released in 2023. It tells the story of how Nike signed Michael Jordan. In the movie, actor Ben Affleck plays the role of Phil Knight.
Political involvement
Phil Knight is interested in politics and how the government is run. He often donates money to political candidates in Oregon. He usually supports candidates from the Republican Party, but he has also supported Democrats in the past.
In 2022, he donated millions of dollars to candidates running for Governor of Oregon. He told a newspaper that he supports candidates who he believes will help the state's economy and safety. He has described his views as conservative.
Images for kids
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Exterior of Autzen Stadium, University of Oregon
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Knight's personal hangar at Hillsboro Airport
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Knight's Green, a lawn named after Knight at Marylhurst University in Marylhurst, Oregon
See also
In Spanish: Phil Knight para niños
- Philip H. Knight Chairs and Professorships
- Nike, Inc.
- Laika (company)
- University of Oregon
