[upbeat music] - [Narrator] Dr. James Goodnight has spent almost his entire life in North Carolina.

Born in Salisbury but raised in Greensboro, then Wilmington, he worked in his family's hardware store before heading to NC State, where he took the only class offered in computing.

While at NC State, Goodnight took a job working with NASA's Apollo Space Mission in Florida.

But after a year, he came back, finished his masters, and created a software program that initially analyzed agricultural data.

That program, SAS, Statistical Analysis System, was the foundation of what is now the world's largest, privately-owned software company.

And Goodnight is known as the Godfather of AI and data analytics.

Goodnight didn't think much of working in a cubicle, so when he started SAS, everyone had an office, which led to a lot of wall space, which led to a lot of art.

He felt it helped spur creativity and innovation while lifting spirits.

[scene whooshing] And in 1976, when a secretary brought some M&Ms back from the store, the trend stuck, and now, SAS consumes 23,000 pounds per year, although Goodnight still advocates for healthy life choices.

For many reasons beyond M&Ms, SAS has often been named the best place to work in America.

And in 2021, it achieved recognition on the world's best workplaces list by Great Place to Work and Fortune.

Goodnight's ability to see the future and his dedication to treating people with respect and kindness is truly a model for great success.

His philosophy?

"Treat employees like they'll make a difference and they will."