Bill & Melinda
Gates
Bill Gates is co-chair of the Bill & Melinda
Gates Foundation. He shapes and approves grantmaking strategies,
advocates for the foundation’s issues, and helps set the overall
direction of the organization.
Bill and Melinda Gates work together to expand opportunity to
the world’s most disadvantaged people by collaborating with grantees
and partners. They also participate in national and international
events and travel extensively to focus attention on the issues
the foundation champions.
Gates began his major philanthropic efforts in 1994, when he
created the William H. Gates Foundation, which focused on global
health. Three years later, he and Melinda created the Gates Library
Foundation, which worked to bring public access computers with
Internet connections to libraries in the United States. Its name
changed to the Gates Learning Foundation in 1999 to reflect its
focus on ensuring that low-income minority students are prepared
for college and have the means to attend. In 2000, to increase
efficiency and communication, the two groups merged into the Bill
& Melinda Gates Foundation.
In 1975, Gates left Harvard University in his junior year to
focus on Microsoft, the company he founded with his childhood
friend Paul Allen. As chief software architect and chairman, Gates
led the company to become the worldwide leader in business and
personal software, services, and solutions. In July 2008, Gates
transitioned into a new role as chairman of Microsoft and advisor
on some key development projects. (See Microsoft’s web site for
more information on his work with the company.)
Gates also founded Corbis, which is developing a comprehensive
digital archive of art and photography from public and private
collections around the globe. He is a member of the board of directors
of Berkshire Hathaway Inc.
Gates grew up in Seattle with his two sisters. His father, William
H. Gates Sr., is a co-chair of the foundation and a retired attorney.
His late mother, Mary Gates, was a schoolteacher, University of
Washington regent, and chairwoman of United Way International.
The Gateses have three children.
Melinda Ann French was born on August 15, 1964 in Dallas, Texas.
She joined Microsoft and participated in the development of many
of Microsoft’s multimedia products. She met Bill Gates while working
at Microsoft and got married with him in 1994.
She retired from the board of Drugstore.com in August 2006 to
spend more time working for the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
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