Chad Richison
Chad Richison, Founder of Paycom.

When Forbes released its 2026 Self-Made 250, a sweeping list of the greatest living Americans who built their success from modest beginnings, Chad Richison's name appeared alongside figures whose influence reaches far beyond balance sheets. The Oklahoma-based founder and chief executive of Paycom ranked No. 119 on the list, a recognition Forbes reserves for leaders who demonstrate financial success as well as distance traveled, obstacles overcome and enduring impact.

The inclusion marks the latest milestone in a career defined less by inherited advantage than by persistence, restraint and a contrarian belief that world-class technology companies could be built and grown in Oklahoma.

A Humble Beginning in Rural Oklahoma

Richison grew up in Tuttle, Oklahoma, where he worked on his family's farm and learned early the discipline of physical labor and self-reliance. That ethic carried him through college, where he worked while earning a degree in mass communications from the University of Central Oklahoma.

His early professional years were spent in payroll services, an unglamorous corner of corporate America but one Richison saw as ripe for reinvention. After working at a large legacy provider and a regional payroll firm, he identified inefficiencies few major providers were addressing at the time.

In 1998, Richison returned to Oklahoma and founded Paycom. At a time when many businesses were skeptical of the internet, Paycom became one of the first companies in its industry to process payroll entirely online, a strategic bet that would later define its competitive edge, according to Forbes.

Recognition by Forbes and a Broader Definition of Wealth

Forbes estimates Richison's net worth at approximately $1.2 billion in 2026, making him the youngest billionaire residing in Oklahoma. But the Self-Made 250 is not a simple wealth ranking. According to Forbes editors, inclusion requires a high "self‑made score," measuring how far an individual traveled from their starting point, not merely how much money they accumulated.

Forbes placed him among entrepreneurs, innovators and cultural figures whose influence is measured in impact as much as in capital.

Richison's influence extends beyond Paycom through a philanthropic portfolio that reflects his focus on long‑term, measurable impacts. Richison's influence extends beyond Paycom through a philanthropic portfolio focused on long-term, measurable outcomes. He is a signatory of The Giving Pledge and founded the Green Shoe Foundation, a nonprofit providing multi-day therapeutic retreats to help adults address unresolved childhood trauma. In Oklahoma, Richison has also been a significant benefactor to education, including record‑setting donations to the University of Central Oklahoma, funding major upgrades to athletic and student facilities. In his Giving Pledge letter, Richison framed philanthropy not as reputation‑building, but as a continuation of the values shaped by his rural upbringing, emphasizing sustainable organizations, personal accountability and results that endure beyond individual lifetimes.

Paycom itself has become a defining employer and civic presence across the country. Alongside its economic footprint, the company has built a structured philanthropic model that blends corporate giving with employee participation, channeling millions of dollars each year to education, mental health, workforce development and basic‑needs organizations. In recent years, Paycom and its employees have collectively donated more than $2.3 million annually to hundreds of nonprofits across dozens of states, while maintaining a strong emphasis on Oklahoma‑based causes, including STEM education, civil‑rights preservation, women in technology and food security. The company has supported organizations ranging from local institutions such as the Freedom Center of Oklahoma City and Oklahoma Women in Technology to national efforts benefiting veterans, foster care networks and cultural preservation initiatives in Texas and beyond.

A Self-Made Story Still Unfolding

For Richison, inclusion on the Forbes Self-Made 250 is less a culmination than a confirmation of a philosophy he has followed for decades: build deliberately for client ROI achievement, stay rooted, and prioritize long‑term value.

As Forbes noted in unveiling the list, today's self‑made leaders are redefining the American Dream—not through inherited wealth, but through resilience and reinvention. Chad Richison's journey from farm fields in Tuttle to the upper ranks of American business places him squarely atop the self-made ecosystem.