#2946
James Jannard
Overview
- Source of Wealth
- Sunglasses
- Industry
- Fashion & Retail
- Residence
- San Juan Islands, Washington
- Education
- University of Southern California (Drop Out)
- Marital Status
- Married
- Children
- 4
Biography
Jim Jannard founded sunglasses brand Oakley out of his car in 1975.
He took Oakley public in 1995 and sold it to Luxottica in 2007 for $2.1 billion in cash.
By then he was working on his next project, Red Digital, building high-resolution cameras used in movies like "Avatar" and "The Hobbit." He agreed to sell the business to Nikon in March 2024.
He launched Red Hydrogen One, a holographic smartphone that was plagued with issues, in 2018 but shut down the project in 2019.
About
The USC pharmacy student dropped out in the 1960s after clashing with professors over bringing his dog to class.
Jannard named Oakley after his beloved English Setter, Oakley Anne. He has funded a breeder in Washington for decades.