Richard Knight was born and raised in Rockford, Illinois. He graduated from the University of Illinois in 1956 with a bachelors of science in agricultural economics. He was employed by Swift & Company, the meat packing corporation for 31 years. In 1987 he started Quality Pork Processors (QPP), his own custom meat operation located in Austin, Minnesota for Hormel. He retired in 2000. Knight has been married for 55 years, has five children and ten grandchildren. He and his wife Kathrine bought a farm in Sauk County in 1979. Knight has been the Chairman of the Plan Commission for Excelsior Township since its formation in 2006.