Early Life
Philip Hampson Knight was born on February 24, 1938, in Portland, Oregon. He grew up in Portland and attended Cleveland High School. Knight excelled in running during high school and continued his passion at the University of Oregon.
Rise to Success
In 1964, alongside Bill Bowerman, he launched Blue Ribbon Sports as a distributor for Japanese-made running shoes, which later became Nike. Under Knight's leadership, Nike grew into one of the most successful sports apparel and footwear companies in the world. Knight developed relationships with athletes like Michael Jordan and Tiger Woods, which helped boost Nike's brand recognition.
Key Business Strategies
Knight's marketing savvy was evident with the introduction of the "swoosh" logo and athlete endorsements, which played a significant role in establishing Nike's brand. Nike's revenue for fiscal year 2025 was $46.309 billion. Knight and his family still own 21% of Nike.
Philanthropy
The Knights have pledged over $500 million in donations to each of the University of Oregon and Stanford University, Phil's alma maters. In 2023, he made a $2 billion donation to the Oregon Health & Science University's Knight Cancer Institute.
