Early Life and Military Service
Robert Ralph Parsons was born in Baltimore, Maryland, on November 27, 1950. Growing up in a working-class neighborhood, he faced financial challenges stemming from his parents' gambling habits. After struggling academically, Parsons enlisted in the United States Marine Corps. He served as a rifleman in the Vietnam War with the 26th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, and was wounded in action, earning a Purple Heart, Combat Action Ribbon, and the Vietnam Gallantry Cross.
Education and Early Career
After his military service, Parsons utilized the G.I. Bill to study at the University of Baltimore, graduating magna cum laude with an accounting degree in 1975. He began his career in the IT and software sales industry. In 1984, he founded Parsons Technology in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. The company developed personal finance and tax software, including the popular MoneyCounts program, and grew to 1,000 employees before being sold to Intuit in 1994 for $64 million.
Rise to Success with GoDaddy and Subsequent Ventures
In 1997, Parsons founded Jomax Technologies, later rebranded as GoDaddy, an internet domain registrar and web hosting company. Under Parsons' leadership, GoDaddy employed provocative marketing strategies. In 2011, he sold a majority stake in GoDaddy to a private equity consortium and resigned as CEO in 2011, stepping down from his position as Executive Chairman in 2014 and fully relinquishing his board seat in 2018. In 2012, Parsons founded YAM Worldwide, Inc., overseeing ventures in power sports, golf, real estate, and marketing. He acquired the Scottsdale National Golf Club and founded Parsons Xtreme Golf (PXG), a premium golf equipment company, in 2014.
Philanthropy
In 2012, Parsons and his wife, Renee, founded The Bob & Renee Parsons Foundation. The foundation focuses on various social issues, including homelessness, medical care, and the needs of veterans, providing significant funding to nonprofit organizations. The couple also signed The Giving Pledge, committing to donate at least half of their wealth to charity. Parsons has donated over $350 million to charities since 2012.
