john b goodman a houston texas native is a multimillionaire and polo player whose wealth originates in the family appliance and air conditioning businesses and became more widely known in the united states for his legal difficulties stemming from a manslaughter conviction in 2012john bailey goodman was one of five children born into a privileged texas family 18 september 1963 his father harold goodman amassed a fortune in air conditioning manufacturing and also raised race horses young john goodman according to the houston post was an aimless youth involved primarily in sport while in school first football while attending boarding school he played lacrossehe cant remember ever having a goal as a child goodman always knew there was room for him in his fathers business from his massachusetts boarding school he went to his delaware college after graduating from wesley goodman came back home to texas with a brandnew marketing degree and an abiding love for lacrosse wrote the posts randall patterson in 1998upon returning home goodman worked for the family firm in a variety of different positions starting as its president of international sales he ultimately served as president and chairman of goodman global holding inc the company grew to become the largest privately held air conditioning and heating equipment manufacturer in the united statesthe manufacturing firm a littleknown but well positioned company had been started in 1975 and run by harold v goodman since its inception with precise acumen it was launched by the elder goodman based on his decades of experience as an air conditioning contractor and concentrated on making flexible ducts for example goodman purchased amana from raytheon in 1997 then sold its microwave and appliance divisions to maytag in 2001 for a reported 325 million the son was given control of the company before his fathers death in 1995john goodman sold the company in 2004 for approximately 143 billion at the time it was the second largest air conditioning manufacturer in the united stateshe is reported to own interests in polo and golf clubs but those are believed to be held in trusts for his children and goodman has no management involvement or participation in them