Penny Knight, Wife of Phil Knight

To those who are supporters and consumers of Nike, you must know the man behind one of the biggest shoe brands. Phil Knight is the co-founder and chairman emeritus of the Nike company. After earning a master’s degree in business administration, he went on a trip to Japan and discovered the Tiger shoe brand manufactured by Onitsuka Co. He eventually secured the distribution rights for Tiger in the U.S. From there, he found success in sales, quit his corporate job, and Nike was born.

In 1963, Phil tied the knot with Penelope “Penny” Parks, with whom he has three kids — Matthew, Travis, and Christina. The two first met at Portland State University. Today, they are known as one of the most charitable couples in the country, donating $300 million to the University of Oregon and $900 million to the Knight Foundation in 2020.