Bob Parsons
Encyclopedia
Bob Parsons is an American entrepreneur
. He is the CEO
and founder of The Go Daddy Group, Inc., a family of companies comprising three ICANN-accredited domain name registrars, including flagship registrar GoDaddy.com, reseller registrar Wild West Domains and Blue Razor Domains. Other affiliated companies include Domains by Proxy Inc.
, a domain privacy company, and Starfield Technologies, the business's technology development arm.
, 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
.
. He began his long-term career in software as a self-taught programmer.
The University of Baltimore
conferred an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters
degree on May 21, 2008.
and began selling MoneyCounts, a home accounting program. In late 1987, Parsons was able to quit his job and focus completely on selling and programming MoneyCounts.
Eventually, Parsons Technology grew to be a 1,000-employee privately held company. On September 27, 1994, Parsons completed the sale of Parsons Technology to Intuit for $64 million.
In response Parsons explained, "The tribal authorities requested that I and others like me patrol the fields before and during the harvest."
PETA said they would close their account with Go Daddy and urged others to do the same.
Entrepreneur
An entrepreneur is an owner or manager of a business enterprise who makes money through risk and initiative.The term was originally a loanword from French and was first defined by the Irish-French economist Richard Cantillon. Entrepreneur in English is a term applied to a person who is willing to...
. He is the CEO
Chief executive officer
A chief executive officer , managing director , Executive Director for non-profit organizations, or chief executive is the highest-ranking corporate officer or administrator in charge of total management of an organization...
and founder of The Go Daddy Group, Inc., a family of companies comprising three ICANN-accredited domain name registrars, including flagship registrar GoDaddy.com, reseller registrar Wild West Domains and Blue Razor Domains. Other affiliated companies include Domains by Proxy Inc.
Domains by Proxy
Domains by Proxy is an Internet company owned by Go Daddy CEO Bob Parsons. It offers domain privacy services through partner domain registrars such as Go Daddy and Wild West Domains....
, a domain privacy company, and Starfield Technologies, the business's technology development arm.
Background
Parsons was born in BaltimoreBaltimore
Baltimore is the largest independent city in the United States and the largest city and cultural center of the US state of Maryland. The city is located in central Maryland along the tidal portion of the Patapsco River, an arm of the Chesapeake Bay. Baltimore is sometimes referred to as Baltimore...
, Maryland
Maryland
Maryland is a U.S. state located in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware to its east...
. 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
United States Marine Corps
The United States Marine Corps is a branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for providing power projection from the sea, using the mobility of the United States Navy to deliver combined-arms task forces rapidly. It is one of seven uniformed services of the United States...
. He was assigned to the 26th Marine Regiment
26th Marine Regiment (United States)
The 26th Marine Regiment is a deactiveated infantry regiment of the United States Marine Corps. They fought during the Battle of Iwo Jima in World War II and were activated again during the Vietnam War.-Subordinate units:...
which was attached to and operated as part of the 1st Marine Division. In 1969 he served as a rifleman
Rifleman
Although ultimately originating with the 16th century handgunners and the 17th century musketeers and streltsy, the term rifleman originated from the 18th century. It would later become the term for the archetypal common soldier.-History:...
in the Delta Company of the 1st Battalion, 26th Marines, during a tour of duty in Vietnam
Vietnam
Vietnam – sometimes spelled Viet Nam , officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam – is the easternmost country on the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia. It is bordered by China to the north, Laos to the northwest, Cambodia to the southwest, and the South China Sea –...
, in the Quảng Nam Province
Quang Nam Province
Quảng Nam is a province on the South Central Coast of Vietnam. It is bordered by Thua Thien-Huế province to the north, the nation of Laos to the west, Kon Tum Province to the southwest, Quảng Ngãi Province to the southeast, the South China Sea to the east, and the city of Da Nang to the...
.
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
Combat Action Ribbon
The Combat Action Ribbon is a personal military decoration of the United States Navy, United States Marine Corps, and United States Coast Guard which is awarded to those who, in any grade including and below that of a Captain in the Navy and Coast Guard , have actively participated in ground or...
, the Vietnam Gallantry Cross
Vietnam Gallantry Cross
The Vietnam Gallantry Cross was a military decoration of South Vietnam which wasestablished in August 1950. Also known as the Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry, the Gallantry Cross was awarded to any military personnel who have accomplished deeds of valor or displayed heroic conduct while fighting an...
and the Purple Heart
Purple Heart
The Purple Heart is a United States military decoration awarded in the name of the President to those who have been wounded or killed while serving on or after April 5, 1917 with the U.S. military. The National Purple Heart Hall of Honor is located in New Windsor, New York...
.
Education
Parsons obtained an accounting degree, graduating magna cum laude in 1975 from the University of BaltimoreUniversity of Baltimore
The University of Baltimore , located in downtown Baltimore, Maryland in the Mt. Vernon neighborhood at 1420 N. Charles Street, is part of the University System of Maryland. Through the Freshman Initiative or Lower Division Initiative, UB has transformed from an upper division university to a...
. He began his long-term career in software as a self-taught programmer.
The University of Baltimore
University of Baltimore
The University of Baltimore , located in downtown Baltimore, Maryland in the Mt. Vernon neighborhood at 1420 N. Charles Street, is part of the University System of Maryland. Through the Freshman Initiative or Lower Division Initiative, UB has transformed from an upper division university to a...
conferred an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters
Doctor of Humane Letters
The degree of Doctor of Humane Letters is always conferred as an honorary degree, usually to those who have distinguished themselves in areas other than science, government, literature or religion, which are awarded degrees of Doctor of Science, Doctor of Laws, Doctor of Letters, or Doctor of...
degree on May 21, 2008.
Parsons Technology
In 1984, he founded Parsons Technology in Cedar Rapids, IowaCedar Rapids, Iowa
Cedar Rapids is the second largest city in Iowa and is the county seat of Linn County. The city lies on both banks of the Cedar River, north of Iowa City and east of Des Moines, the state's capital and largest city...
and began selling MoneyCounts, a home accounting program. In late 1987, Parsons was able to quit his job and focus completely on selling and programming MoneyCounts.
Eventually, Parsons Technology grew to be a 1,000-employee privately held company. On September 27, 1994, Parsons completed the sale of Parsons Technology to Intuit for $64 million.
Elephant shooting controversy
In 2011, Parsons was denounced by animal rights groups for tweeting a video in which he shoots and kills an elephant in Zimbabwe.In response Parsons explained, "The tribal authorities requested that I and others like me patrol the fields before and during the harvest."
PETA said they would close their account with Go Daddy and urged others to do the same.
External links
- Interview with Bob Parsons (from the book 50 Interviews: Entrepreneurs Thriving in Uncertain Times)
- Bob Parsons — Profile on GoDaddy.com
- BobParsons.me — A blog by Go Daddy CEO and founder Bob Parsons
- Radio Go Daddy (Formerly "Go Daddy Live") — A radio show hosted by Go Daddy CEO and founder Bob Parsons