Bob Parsons
Bob Parsons | |
|---|---|
| Born | November 27, 1950 Baltimore, Maryland, U.S. |
| Occupation(s) | Businessman, philanthropist |
| Known for | Founder of GoDaddy, Parsons Technology, YAM Worldwide, Parsons Xtreme Golf (PXG) |
Robert Ralph Parsons (born November 27, 1950) is a notable American businessman and philanthropist. In 1997, he established the GoDaddy enterprise, which comprises the domain registrar GoDaddy.com, reseller Wild West Domains, and Blue Razor Domains. In July 2011, Parsons divested roughly 70% of GoDaddy to a private equity group and stepped down as CEO. He resigned from his role as Executive Chairman in June 2014 and stayed on the board until 2018.
Parsons also serves as founder and CEO of YAM Worldwide, Inc., managing diverse business interests in powersports, golf, real estate, and marketing.
Together with his wife Renee, Parsons founded The Bob & Renee Parsons Foundation in 2012, supporting nonprofit organizations mainly within the Phoenix region. They pledged to donate at least half of their fortune to charitable causes by joining The Giving Pledge in 2013.
As of September 2023, Parsons was ranked No. 314 on Forbes’ list of the wealthiest Americans. His autobiography Fire in the Hole was released by Simon & Schuster in May 2024.
Early life and education
Born in Baltimore, Maryland, Parsons was raised by a homemaker mother and a father who sold furniture for Montgomery Ward.
After struggling academically in high school, Parsons enlisted in the United States Marine Corps. He served as a rifleman with the 26th Marine Regiment of the 1st Marine Division during the Vietnam War in 1969. Parsons sustained injuries in combat, was medically evacuated, and underwent two months of recovery. His military honors include the Combat Action Ribbon, Vietnam Gallantry Cross, and Purple Heart.
In 1975, Parsons earned an accounting degree magna cum laude from the University of Baltimore. He launched his professional journey in IT and software sales thereafter. The University of Baltimore conferred upon him an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degree in 2008.
Parsons Technology
In 1984, Parsons founded Parsons Technology based in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, introducing MoneyCounts, a home accounting software. The company expanded to employ around 1,000 people and remained privately owned until its acquisition by Intuit, Inc. for $64 million on September 27, 1994.
GoDaddy
Parsons created the Internet domain registration and web hosting company GoDaddy in 1997. In July 2011, he sold about 70% ownership to a private equity consortium led by KKR & Co. L.P. and Silver Lake and relinquished his CEO position. He left his Executive Chairman post in June 2014 and fully departed from the company by stepping down from the board in October 2018.
YAM Worldwide, Inc.
In 2012, Parsons launched YAM Worldwide Inc., headquartered in Scottsdale, which encompasses his enterprises across powersports, golf, real estate, marketing, innovation initiatives, and philanthropic efforts.
YAM Capital functions as YAM Worldwide’s investment division concentrating on commercial real estate financing and acquiring privately held middle-market firms.
In 2013, Parsons purchased Martz Agency—a Scottsdale-based public relations company with a team of 25—and rebranded it as BIG YAM, The Parsons Agency in 2015 to provide comprehensive advertising services.
By 2016, he introduced Sneaky Big Studios within the YAM Worldwide Center offering production, post-production, recording services along with visual effects and audio capabilities.
Expanding further into custom design by 2017, Parsons initiated The YAMWOOD Foundry to craft tailored furniture pieces, signage, and lighting solutions for both residential and commercial clients.
Motorcycle Dealership Operations
YAM Worldwide's subsidiaries, LZ Delta, L.L.C. and MS LZ Delta, L.L.C., manage Harley-Davidson and multi-brand motorcycle dealerships located in Arizona, Mississippi, and Tennessee. Additionally, Parsons serves as the founder and CEO of Spooky Fast Customs, a Scottsdale-based company specializing in bespoke motorcycle design and fabrication.
In April 2014, Parsons revealed intentions to establish what would become the "world's largest Harley-Davidson dealership" in Scottsdale. This two-story facility, spanning 150,000 square feet, officially opened in 2015 as Harley-Davidson of Scottsdale. The dealership features distinctive attractions including a lingerie boutique, tattoo and piercing studio, an arcade, a movie theater, and a wedding chapel.
Golf Ventures
In September 2013, Parsons purchased The Golf Club Scottsdale, an exclusive 292-acre members-only golf course, for $600,000 plus undisclosed liabilities. He subsequently rebranded it as Scottsdale National Golf Club. By 2014, Parsons expanded the property by acquiring over 260 acres of adjacent undeveloped land for roughly $62.7 million. Plans were announced for constructing a new clubhouse, a nine-hole practice facility, and an additional 18-hole golf course on the premises.
Parsons Xtreme Golf (PXG)
Parsons introduced Parsons Xtreme Golf (PXG), a premium golf club manufacturing company, in January 2015. That same month, professional golfer Ryan Moore utilized prototype PXG irons and wedges during the Hyundai Tournament of Champions, part of the PGA Tour.
Real Estate Portfolio
Since 2012, YAM Properties has amassed over 675,000 square feet of commercial real estate within Arizona's Valley of the Sun. Noteworthy acquisitions include:
- Scottsdale Grayhawk Center: a retail plaza covering 147,084 square feet, acquired for $36.885 million
- Citadelle Plaza and II Palazzo: retail and office developments purchased for $27.3 million
- Arrowhead Professional Center: a 71,066-square-foot office complex bought for $13.25 million
- Retail properties totaling 66,983 square feet across two sites acquired for $8.575 million
- McDowell Mountain Marketplace: an 84,087-square-foot retail center obtained for $14.125 million
- Centerpoint on Mill: a mixed-use development spanning 127,027 square feet purchased for $38.35 million
- Hayden Station: a mixed-use project comprising 107,508 square feet acquired for $26.5 million
- The Cornerstone shopping center: obtained for $29 million
- Westgate Entertainment District in Glendale, Arizona: encompassing 533,000 square feet of retail, office, and residential space adjacent to Gila River Arena, acquired in June 2018 for $133 million
- Shops at Norterra: an open-air retail and dining complex at Interstate 17 and Happy Valley Road purchased outright for $108 million
The Bob & Renee Parsons Foundation
Founded in 2012 by Bob and Renee Parsons, the Bob and Renee Parsons Foundation has provided funding to more than 96 charitable organizations worldwide, with approximately one-third of contributions benefiting groups based in Arizona. The couple committed to donating half their wealth through joining The Giving Pledge in 2010. Annually, the foundation contributes over $10 million, placing it among Arizona’s leading philanthropic entities.
The foundation’s primary focus areas include disaster relief efforts, veteran support initiatives, and community programs within Phoenix. After the 2010 earthquake in Haiti, it pledged $4.5 million toward recovery operations. It has donated upwards of $8.5 million to veteran-related causes—mainly through matching gifts to the Semper Fi Fund. Locally, contributions have exceeded $8 million to United Methodist Outreach Centers and at least $10 million to the Southwest Center for HIV/AIDS. Additionally, the foundation has granted over $1 million to the Obama Foundation.
Other significant donations include $3.7 million aimed at enhancing the laser system at Hawaii’s W. M. Keck Observatory; support for the Girl Scouts Beyond Bars initiative; $4 million allocated for scholarships through theDream.us; $1.5 million given to Phoenix Children's Hospital; $1 million donated to the Barrow Neurological Institute at St. Joseph's Hospital; $1.4 million provided to Murphy Kids Dental Clinic; and a $2 million grant to Circle the City for establishing a new primary healthcare facility.
Political involvement
Parsons is officially listed as an Independent. In 2012, he made a $1 million contribution to Mitt Romney's Super PAC, Restore Our Future. Additionally, on December 8, 2016, Parsons donated $1 million to support the 58th Presidential Inaugural Committee.
Controversies
In 2011, Parsons drew criticism from animal welfare advocates after sharing a video of himself hunting an elephant during a safari in Zimbabwe. He defended his actions by asserting that elephants are not endangered and that their numbers might be too high. Despite the negative reactions, Parsons maintained that the event had little effect on GoDaddy’s reputation and considered the attention to be mostly beneficial.
GoDaddy also encountered backlash over its sexist marketing tactics, particularly from its inaugural Super Bowl advertisement in 2005 through to its initial public offering in 2014. Parsons admitted that the "Go Daddy girl" campaign was his idea, designed to showcase a curvaceous model wearing a form-fitting T-shirt emblazoned with the company logo. He frequently used his blog to share advertisements that were rejected for being overly provocative.