Robert Ralph “Bob” Parsons (born November 27, 1950) is an American entrepreneur, billionaire, and philanthropist. In 1997, he founded the GoDaddy group of companies, including domain name registrar GoDaddy.com, reseller registrar Wild West Domains and Blue Razor Domains. In July 2011, Parsons sold approximately 70 percent of Go Daddy to a private equity consortium and resigned his position as CEO. In June 2014, he stepped down from his position as Executive Chairman and currently serves on Go Daddy’s board. Parsons owns 28 percent of the company and is its largest shareholder.
As of April 2017, Parsons had an estimated net worth of $2.6 billion and was ranked #290 on the Forbes 400 ranking of the world’s wealthiest people.
Parsons is the CEO and founder of YAM Worldwide, Inc., which is home to his entrepreneurial ventures in the fields of powersports, golf, real estate and marketing.
In 2012, Parsons and his wife Renee founded The Bob & Renee Parsons Foundation, which provides funding, primarily in the greater Phoenix area, to non-profit organizations. In December 2013, they joined The Giving Pledge, an initiative started by Bill and Melinda Gates and Warren Buffett that requires signators to commit at least half of their fortunes to charity.
Background
Evening Parade with Parsons as guest of honor in 2014
Parsons was born in Baltimore, Maryland. His family lived in Baltimore’s inner city and struggled financially. Parsons has said about those days, “I’ve earned everything I’ve ever received. Very little was given to me. I’ve been working as long as I can remember. Whether it was delivering or selling newspapers, pumping gas, working in construction or in a factory, I’ve always been making my own money.”
After almost flunking out of high school, Parsons enlisted in the United States Marine Corps. He was assigned to the 26th Marine Regiment which was attached to and operated as part of the 1st Marine Division. In 1969, he served as a rifleman in the Delta Company of the 1st Battalion, 26th Marines, during a tour of duty in Vietnam, in the Quảng Nam Province.
He was wounded on duty, medically evacuated and spent two months at a naval hospital recovering from his wounds. As a result of his service and injury, he earned the Combat Action Ribbon, the Vietnam Gallantry Cross and the Purple Heart.
| Bob Parsons | |
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Parsons in 2017
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| Born | Robert Ralph Parsons November 27, 1950 Baltimore, Maryland, U.S. |
| Alma mater | University of Baltimore Baltimore, Maryland |
| Occupation | Founder & Director, GoDaddy.com Founder & CEO, YAM Worldwide, Inc.Founder, The Bob & Renee Parsons Foundation |
| Net worth |  US$2.6 billion (April 2017) |
| Spouse(s) | Renee Parsons |
| Website | tbrpf |
- Colorful founder of GoDaddy, Bob Parsons sold off his remaining stake in the web hosting firm and continues to reinvest the proceeds.
- Parsons first sold a majority stake of GoDaddy in 2011 to private equity investors KKR, Silver Lake and TCV. The firm went public in 2015.
- Parsons stepped down as executive chairman in 2014; he now owns shopping malls, motorcycle dealerships, an ad agency and a golf club.
- He and his wife have given away more than $160 million to charities since 2012.
- He credits his time as a marine in Vietnam, where he received a Purple Heart medal and combat action ribbon, as preparing him for business.
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