Jim Goodnight

Also known as James Goodnight, James H. Goodnight

Jim Goodnight is a software founder whose company SAS grew from a university statistics project into an analytics and AI business. He earned degrees in applied mathematics and statistics at NC State, served on its statistics faculty from 1972 to 1976, and spun off SAS with colleagues in 1976. His education work included co-founding Cary Academy in 1997 and serving as a founding partner of NC State's Institute for Advanced Analytics, which launched the nation's first Master of Science in Analytics in 2007. He received North Carolina's Order of the Long Leaf Pine in 2022; by May 2025, he was SAS's co-founder and CEO, and the company had worked with artificial intelligence for decades. In July 2026, he said SAS was adding generative-AI features; as of October 2026, he is its co-founder and CEO.

Now at: SAS Institute
Born: 1943
Badges: Founder
Bridge
Boomerang
Loyal
Pioneer
Links: LinkedIn

Years link to their sources.

Timeline

1972–1976

Statistics at NC State

At NC State, he earns a bachelor's in applied mathematics and master's and doctoral degrees in statistics; he serves on the statistics faculty from 1972 to 1976.
1976

Spinning off SAS

He and NC State colleagues spin off SAS in 1976 from a statistical project that analyzed agricultural research data.
1997

Cary Academy

In 1997, he co-founds Cary Academy, a college-preparatory school with a goal of integrating technology into education.
2007

Analytics education at NC State

He is a founding partner of NC State's Institute for Advanced Analytics, which launches the nation's first Master of Science in Analytics in 2007.
2022

Order of the Long Leaf Pine

He receives North Carolina's Order of the Long Leaf Pine, its highest civilian honor, in 2022.
May 2025

Decades of AI at SAS

In May 2025, he is SAS's co-founder and CEO, and the company has worked with artificial intelligence for decades.
July 2026

Generative AI at SAS

In July 2026, he says SAS is adding generative-AI features to its software.
As of October 2026

CEO of SAS

As of October 2026, he is co-founder and CEO of SAS, a company active in data, analytics and AI.