co-founder of Wikipedia (born 1966) From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Jimmy Donal "Jimbo" Wales (/ˈdoʊnəl ˈweɪlz/; born August 7, 1966[3]) is an American-born British Internet entrepreneur. He is one of the people who started Wikipedia and Wikia.[4][5] Wales was born in Huntsville, Alabama, United States. There, he went to Randolph School. He then earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees in finance. In 1996, he and two partners started Bomis. Bomis was an Internet portal with entertainment and adult content. The company gave money for Nupedia (2000–2003) and, after that, Wikipedia.
Jimmy Wales | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Wales in August 2019 | |
| Born | Jimmy Donal Wales August 7, 1966 |
| Other names | Jimbo (screen name)[1] |
| Education | |
| Occupations | Internet entrepreneur, webmaster, financial trader (formerly) |
| Title |
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| Successor | Florence Devouard (as Chair of Wikimedia Foundation) |
| Board member of |
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| Spouse(s) |
Pamela Green
(m. 1986; div. 1993)Christine Rohan
(m. 1997; div. 2011)Kate Garvey (m. 2012) |
| Children | 3 daughters |
| Awards | See below |
| Website | jimmywales |
| Signature | |
 | |
Wales has been married three times. He also has three children. Jimmy is of Jewish ancestry[6][7] When he was 20, Wales married Pam.[7] Pam was a worker at a store in Alabama.[7] He met his second wife, Christine Rohan, through a friend in Chicago.[6] They had a daughter before their marriage ended. Wales moved to San Diego in 1998. In 2002, he moved again to Florida.[8] In 2007, he still lived there.[9] As of 2012 he lives in London, England.[10] In 2012, Wales married Kate Garvey, a government worker for Tony Blair.[11] Wales has three daughters: one with Rohan and two with Garvey.[12]
Wales says that he follows the ideas of Objectivism. He also says that he is a libertarian to some extent, meaning that he thinks people should be allowed to do whatever they want so long as they do not hurt others.
On January 15, 2001, with Larry Sanger and others, Wales started Wikipedia. Wikipedia is a free, open content encyclopedia. It grew and became popular very quickly. As Wikipedia became known to the public, he became the project’s promoter and spokesperson. He is often called a co-founder of Wikipedia, though he has argued against the "co-" part. He said he was the only founder.[13][14] Wales is on the Board of Trustees of the Wikimedia Foundation. In 2004, he co-founded Wikia, a wiki-hosting service which tries to make money. In 2015, Wales started the Jimmy Wales Foundation for freedom of expression, to try to help bloggers or internet activists who are in prison.[15]
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