Phil Knight – Nike Co-Founder, Shoe Dog Author, and Billionaire Philanthropist

Parents & Early Life

1938 – Phil Knight is born on February 24 in Portland, Oregon, to William W. Knight, a lawyer and newspaper publisher, and Lota Hatfield Knight.
1950 – As a boy, Phil Knight delivers the Oregon Journal along a 30-block paper route, timing himself to improve his pace—a sign of the competitiveness that would later define him.

1955 – He begins his studies at the University of Oregon, majoring in journalism while running middle-distance events for coach Bill Bowerman.
1959 – He graduates with a BA and varsity letters, discovering that performance gear could be as vital to winning as training itself.
1962 – He earns an MBA from Stanford, where a business plan on importing Japanese running shoes plants the seeds for a future enterprise.

1964 – With Bowerman, he co-founds Blue Ribbon Sports, each contributing $500 to start selling Onitsuka Tiger sneakers out of Knight’s car.
1971 – The company adopts the name Nike and introduces the iconic swoosh logo. Annual sales surpass $1 million.
1980 – Nike goes public, raising $22 million and catapulting Knight into the national spotlight.
1984 – A rookie contract with Michael Jordan turns Nike into a cultural juggernaut.
2004 – Knight steps down as CEO, passing the reins to William Perez while continuing as chairman and product strategist.
2016 – He retires as chairman and becomes chairman emeritus. His memoir Shoe Dog becomes a defining entry in business literature, immortalizing the term “shoe dog Phil Knight.”
2025 – At age 87, he advises Nike’s sustainability division, focusing on plant-based materials as alternatives to synthetic rubber.

1996 – In response to a tax hike that threatens Nike’s expansion plans, Knight begins donating heavily to Oregon Republican campaigns.
2016 – He finances Chris Dudley’s run for governor while criticizing Portland’s economic policies.
2022 – A $500,000 donation to Christine Drazan places his name back into the political spotlight.

1980 – Following Nike’s IPO, Phil Knight net worth reaches approximately $178 million.
2012 – With Nike stock climbing, Forbes estimates his fortune at $13 billion, driven by success in the digital fitness market.
2023 – A surge in direct-to-consumer sales pushes his net worth past $45 billion, securing his place among America’s wealthiest.
2025 – Nike share repurchases and strong Jordan Brand royalties elevate his wealth to around $47 billion.

1990 – Knight and his wife Penny establish the Knight Foundation, initially supporting Oregon track initiatives.
2000 – A $105 million donation enhances the University of Oregon’s library and athletic programs.
2016 – He pledges $500 million to launch the Knight Campus for Accelerating Scientific Impact in Eugene.
2021 – He donates $400 million to support Black community leaders in Portland, one of the most substantial equity-focused contributions in U.S. history.

1968 – He marries Penelope Parks, whom he met at Portland State. They go on to raise three children.
1973 – Their son Matthew is born and later becomes the namesake for the University of Oregon’s basketball arena.
2004 – Matthew dies in a scuba diving accident, prompting Knight to intensify his philanthropic work.
2021 – Knight splits his time between properties in Hillsboro, Oregon, and La Quinta, California, maintaining a rigorous daily running routine.

1992 – Human rights activists reveal poor working conditions in Nike’s Indonesian factories. Knight responds with a commitment to audits and reform.
2015 – Contractors employing underage workers are fined by the U.S. Department of Labor, renewing scrutiny of Nike’s international supply chain.
2019 – Alberto Salazar, coach of the Nike Oregon Project, is banned for doping violations. Knight faces criticism for financially backing elite sports programs.

2000 – The Oregon Sports Hall of Fame honors Knight for reshaping the athletic footwear industry.
2012 – He receives the Ernest C. Arbuckle Award from Stanford’s Graduate School of Business for his leadership.
2017 – The Association of Fundraising Professionals names him Philanthropist of the Year after his charitable contributions surpass $1 billion.

1993 – Fortune names him Businessperson of the Year as Nike overtakes Reebok in the U.S. market.
2016 – The NCAA awards him the Theodore Roosevelt Award for lifelong impact on college athletics.
2019 – The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame inducts him as a contributor, citing his pivotal role in basketball’s global expansion.
2024 – Fast Company honors him with an Innovation by Design Award for advancing sustainable materials in sportswear production.