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Phil Knight

What is phil knight?

· Sarah Mitchell

Key facts

Full name Philip Hampson Knight[2]
Birth date February 24, 1938[1]
Birth place Portland, Oregon, U.S.[1]
Role Cofounder of Nike, Inc.[1]
Role Chairman Emeritus of NIKE, Inc.[3]
Education MBA from Stanford Graduate School of Business; bachelor’s degree in business administration from the University of Oregon[3]

Phil Knight is an American businessman and the cofounder of Nike, Inc., known for building the company into a global sportswear giant.

Context

Phil Knight cofounded Nike, Inc., originally known as Blue Ribbon Sports [1]. He served as the company’s CEO from 1964 to 2004 [1]. Nike says Knight is its Chairman Emeritus [3]. During his tenure, Nike became one of the most successful companies in the world [1]. Knight and his family have retained a 21% stake in Nike and have donated $4 billion to charitable causes [4].

Documented claims

  • Nike was originally called Blue Ribbon Sports. [1]
  • Knight served as Nike’s CEO from 1964 to 2004. [1]

Questions and answers

Does Phil Knight still own Nike?

Forbes reports that Knight and his family retain a 21% stake in Nike [4].

How did Phil Knight get so rich?

Knight built his wealth as cofounder and long-time CEO of Nike, which became one of the most successful companies in the world under his leadership [1].

What happened to Phil Knight's son?

The sources do not provide information about Phil Knight's son.

Sources

  1. Phil Knight Biography: Details About the Nike Founder — entrepreneur.com (retrieved August 3, 2026)
  2. All About Phil Knight, the Founder and Former CEO of Nike — people.com (retrieved August 3, 2026)
  3. Phil Knight, Chairman Emeritus — NIKE, Inc. — about.nike.com (retrieved August 3, 2026)
  4. Phil Knight & family — forbes.com (retrieved August 3, 2026)

Sources last checked August 3, 2026. · More in People