James Clark

$7.33 B

Ranked #499 in World

About James Clark

James Henry Clark, a trailblazing American entrepreneur and computer scientist born on March 23, 1944, in Plainview, Texas, catalyzed the tech revolution by founding Silicon Graphics (SGI), Netscape, myCFO, and Healtheon. Clark's pivot from academia, marked by tenures at UC Santa Cruz and Stanford University, to Silicon Valley icon, was punctuated by SGI's dominance in visual effects, Netscape's web proliferation, and WebMD's health-care innovation. His strategic investments span from biotech to cybersecurity, complementing personal feats from record-setting real estate sales to charitable contributions in education and environmental conservation.

Born

March 23, 1944 in Plainview, Texas, United States

Age

82 years

Source Of Wealth

Netscape, Investments

Industries

Technology

Citizenship

United States

Residence

Palm Beach, Florida

Education

Bachelor of Arts/Science, University of New Orleans; Master of Science, University of New Orleans; Ph.D, University of Utah

Spouse

Nancy Rutter, Kristy Hinze

Children

James Henry Clark was born on March 23, 1944, in Plainview, Texas. At the age of 16, he dropped out of high school and served in the US Navy for four years. After his military service, Clark pursued higher education, earning a bachelor's degree and a master's degree in physics from the University of New Orleans. He went on to complete a Ph.D. in computer science from the University of Utah in 1974.

James Clark: Family

James Clark has been married four times and has four children. His notable marriages include Nancy Rutter, with whom he had a divorce settlement reported at $125 million, and Kristy Hinze, whom he married in 2009 and had two children with. Clark's daughter, Kathy, was married to Chad Hurley, the co-founder of YouTube, but they later divorced in 2012.

James Clark: Career Highlights

Clark's career is marked by significant contributions to the technology industry. He co-founded several notable Silicon Valley companies, including Silicon Graphics (SGI), Netscape, myCFO, and Healtheon. These companies played pivotal roles in shaping the tech landscape and revolutionizing industries such as visual effects, web browsing, healthcare, and wealth management.

James Clark: Companies

Silicon Graphics (SGI)
Netscape
myCFO
Healtheon
Neoteris
DNA Sciences
Ibotta
CommandScape

James Clark: Major Achievements

Co-founded Silicon Graphics (SGI), a pioneer in high-end graphics workstations and visual effects technology.
Developed Netscape Navigator, one of the first widely used web browsers, which played a crucial role in the early growth of the Internet.
Founded Healtheon, a healthcare technology company that merged with WebMD to become a leader in online health information.
Launched myCFO to provide wealth management services to high-net-worth individuals.
Invested in and supported various technology startups, including Neoteris, DNA Sciences, and Ibotta.

James Clark: Awards & Achievements

ACM SIGGRAPH Computer Graphics Achievement Award (1984)
Golden Plate Award of the American Academy of Achievement (1996)
Kilby International Awards (1997)
EY Entrepreneur of the Year Award in the Northern California Region (1988)
Honorary Doctor of Science (ScD) from the University of East Anglia (1998)

James Clark: Personal Life & Legacy

Clark's personal life has been marked by notable events and philanthropic endeavors.

He has made significant contributions to various educational institutions, including Stanford University, Tulane University, and the University of New Orleans. Clark is also known for his passion for yachting, flying, and philanthropy, particularly in the areas of environmental conservation and music education.

James Clark: Trivia

Clark made the largest residential real estate sale in Florida history in 2022, selling a property for $175 million.
He is an enthusiastic yachtsman and owns several large sailing yachts, including Hyperion, Comanche, Athena, and Hanuman.
Clark is a skilled pilot and enjoys flying helicopters, gliders, and acrobatic aircraft.
He has contributed generously to various philanthropic causes, including education, environmental conservation, and music.

Wealth History

Timeline

March 23, 1944

James Henry Clark is born in Plainview, Texas.

1960

Drops out of high school at 16 and serves in the US Navy for four years.

1974

Earns a Ph.D. in computer science from the University of Utah.

1974-1978

Works at the New York Institute of Technology's Computer Graphics Lab and serves as an assistant professor at the University of California, Santa Cruz.

1979-1982

Serves as an associate professor of electrical engineering at Stanford University.

1982

Co-founds Silicon Graphics (SGI) with Stanford graduate students.

1991

SGI becomes the world leader in Hollywood movie visual effects and 3-D imaging.

Late January 1994

Departs from SGI due to differences in company direction.

February 1994

Founds Netscape with Marc Andreessen.

August 1995

Netscape's IPO launches the Internet boom.

1996

Founds Healtheon with backing from Kleiner Perkins and New Enterprise Associates.

1999

Netscape is acquired by AOL for $1.2 billion.

1999

Launches myCFO to help wealthy individuals manage their fortunes.

2009

Marries Kristy Hinze and has two children together.

2012

Daughter Kathy divorces Chad Hurley, co-founder of YouTube.

2017

Launches CommandScape, a cyber secure building management and automation platform.

2022

Makes the largest residential real estate sale in Florida history ($175 million).

James Clark : FAQs

What is James Clark's current net worth?

James Clark's current net worth is $7.33 billion.

What is James Clark's current global rank among billionaires?

James Clark holds the 499th position globally among billionaires.

What is James Clark's current ranking within the United States?

James Clark holds the 194th position in United States.

What was the change in James Clark's net worth compared to the previous year?

James Clark's net worth decreased by 733.94 million dollars compared to the previous year 2025, when his net worth was 8.06 billion dollars.

What is the recent change in James Clark's net worth?

James Clark's net worth increased by 60.78 million dollars recently, a 0.83% increase, with his net worth standing at 7.33 billion dollars.

What are James Clark's main sources of wealth?

James Clark's main source of income comes from Netscape, Investments.

In which industry does James Clark primarily operate?

James Clark is primarily involved in the Technology industry.

What is James Clark educational background?

James Clark holds a Bachelor of Arts/Science from the University of New Orleans, a Master of Science from the University of New Orleans and a Ph.D from the University of Utah.

How old is James Clark?

James Clark is 82 years old.

How many children does James Clark have?

James Clark has 4 children.

Who is James Henry Clark and what companies did he found?

James Henry Clark is an American entrepreneur and computer scientist, known for founding several notable Silicon Valley technology companies including Silicon Graphics (SGI), Netscape, myCFO, and Healtheon.

What is the early life and academic background of James H. Clark?

Born in Plainview, Texas on March 23, 1944, James H. Clark dropped out of high school, served in the US Navy, and later acquired bachelor's and master's degrees in physics from the University of New Orleans. He also earned a Ph.D. in computer science from the University of Utah in 1974.

What were some of James H. Clark's contributions to academia?

James H. Clark worked at the New York Institute of Technology's Computer Graphics Lab, served as an assistant professor at UC Santa Cruz, and was an associate professor of electrical engineering at Stanford University. His research focused on geometry pipelines and the Geometry Engine.

How did James H. Clark impact the Internet industry with Netscape?

James H. Clark co-founded Netscape with Marc Andreessen, which developed the Netscape Navigator web browser. The company's IPO in 1995 marked the beginning of the Internet boom, and Clark turned his initial investment of $4 million into $1.2 billion when Netscape was acquired by AOL in 1999.

Can you highlight James H. Clark's philanthropic endeavors?

James H. Clark has made significant contributions to various institutions and causes, including pledging $150 million to Stanford's Clark Center for Biomedical Engineering, donating to the Stanford Institute for Theoretical Physics and Tulane University's School of Engineering, and serving on the national council of the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF).