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John Bailey Goodman (born 18 September 1963) is an American businessman and polo player whose wealth originates in the family appliance and air conditioning businesses, Goodman Manufacturing Company. A Houston, Texas, native, he became more widely known in the United States for his legal difficulties stemming from a manslaughter conviction in 2012.
Goodman was born in 1963, one of four children of a wealthy Texas couple.[1][2] His father, Harold V. Goodman, amassed a fortune in air conditioning manufacturing and also raised racehorses. Goodman Manufacturing Company, a little-known but well-positioned company, had been started in 1975 and run by the elder Goodman since its inception. It was launched by the elder Goodman based on his decades of experience as an air conditioning contractor and concentrated on making flexible ducts.[3]
From his Massachusetts boarding school, Goodman attended Wesley College in Delaware. Upon returning home, Goodman worked for the family business in a variety of different positions, starting as its president of international sales. He ultimately served as president and chairman.[4] The company grew to become the largest privately held air conditioning and heating equipment manufacturer in the United States.
In 1996, the company hired Frank H. Murray to become chairman and CEO, a role which he held until the end of 1999. Goodman was a board member when Murray purchased Amana from Raytheon in 1997, then sold its microwave and appliance divisions to Maytag in 2001 for a reported $325 million. Goodman was given control of the company before his father's death in 1995.
Goodman sold the company in 2004 for approximately $1.43 billion. At the time, it was the second largest air conditioning manufacturer in the United States.[5][6]
Goodman married Isla Carroll Reckling in December 1986.[1] Her family has ties to Exxon oil. She is a descendant of Frank Sterling and philanthropist Isla Carroll Sterling Turner.[7] The couple, who had two children, became estranged and originally filed for divorce in 2005, but reconciled. The Goodmans' divorce was finalized in November 2008 after 22 years of marriage.
Around 1989, Goodman took up the sport of polo and became a member of the United States Polo Association (USPA). He was also a member of board of directors of the Houston Polo Club and served as its president in 1994 and 1995.
Goodman was the founder of the International Polo Club Palm BeachinWellington, Florida. He told Palm Beach Life in 2004 that the club was specifically designed to attract South American players as well as wealthy individuals and celebrities from nearby Miami and Palm Beach.
Goodman was also involved in publishing. He provided start up funds for Cowboys & Indians (magazine), later becoming sole owner of Westchester Media and joining with USFR Media Group to publish several other magazines, including Polo, the official publication of International Polo Club Palm Beach. That publication was tangled in a lengthy lawsuit with the Ralph Lauren Corporation concerning brand confusion.
Goodman gained notoriety following a DUI manslaughter arrest after involvement in a hit-and-run automobile collision on February 12, 2010, at about 1:00 AM. He was driving his car near the polo club he founded, when he disregarded a stop sign and collided with a car driven by Scott Patrick Wilson, 23. Goodman left the scene of the accident without calling emergency services. Wilson's car ended up overturned in a canal and he drowned. Goodman broke his wrist. Goodman hired well-known criminal defense attorney, Roy Black, best known for high-profile trials involving William Kennedy Smith and Rush Limbaugh.
While testifying in the criminal case, Goodman said his car malfunctioned, which was the cause of the crash. He denied being drunk or under the influence of drugs; however, his blood alcohol level of .177 was more than twice the legal limit three hours after the crash. Goodman was found guilty of DUI manslaughter and vehicular homicide in March 2012. In May 2012, Goodman was sentenced to 16 years in prison and fined $10,000.
Goodman was granted a new trial in May 2013 due to juror misconduct. At retrial, Goodman was again convicted of DUI manslaughter and on November 21, 2014, he was again sentenced to 16 years in prison. Prison credit was denied for 810 days spent on house arrest pending the second trial. He was also denied bail pending his second appeal.[8] In 2017, the Florida District Courts of Appeal affirmed his conviction[9] Goodman is incarcerated by the Florida Department of Corrections, with a 2028 release date.[10] He continues to file appeals.[11]
