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Career

Microsoft Corporation
2006–present
Chairman of the Board Bellevue, Washington USA
1981–2006
President and Chairman of the Board Bellevue, Washington USA
1979–1981
President Bellevue, Washington USA
1976–1979
Co-founder and President Albuquerque, New Mexico USA
Cascade Investment, LLC
1994–present
Chairman Kirkland, Washington, USA
Corbis Corporation
1989–present
Owner Seattle, Washington, USA

Accomplishments of note

1999
Author, nonficton: Business @ the Speed of Thought Publisher: Grand Cantral Publishing-Hachette Book Group / New York, New York USA with Collins Hemingway
1995
Author, nonfiction: The Road Ahead Publisher: Viking Penguin / New York, New York USA with Nathan Myhrvold and Peter Rinearson

Professional honors and awards

2010
Bower Award for Business Leadership The Franklin Institute / Philadelphia, Pennsylvania USA American business leader who, in his/her life and work, personifies outstanding qualities and attainments in leadership, the advancement of sound economic practices, and adherence to the highest ethical standards
The World's Billionaires - Number 1 Forbes Magazine / New York, New York USA Years: 2009, 2007, 2006, 2005, 2004, 2003, 2002, 2001, 2000, 1999, 1998, 1997, 1996, 1995
The Richest People in America - Number 1 The Forbes 400 / New York, New York USA Years: 2007, 2006, 2005, 2004, 2003, 2002, 2001, 2000, 1999, 1998, 1997, 1996, 1995, 1994, 1993
Time 100 Most Influential People Time Magazine / New York, New York USA Years: 2006, 2005, 2004
2005
Person of the Year Time Magazine / New York, New York USA With wife, Melinda Gates and U2 lead singer, Bono
1994
Distinguished Fellow British Computer Society / London, England UK
1994
CEO of the Year Chief Executive Officers Magazine

Community

Community service

1994–present
Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Seattle, Washington USA Co-founder and Co-chair

Community honors and awards

2010
Silver Buffalo Award Boy Scouts of America
2006
Order of the Aztec Eagle (with Melinda Gates) United Mexican States For their philanthropic work around the world in the areas of health and education, particularly in Mexico, and specifically in the program "Un país de lectores"
2005
Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire (KBE) Queen Elizabeth II, Sovereign of the United Kingdom
2002
Jefferson Award American Institute for Public Service Greatest Public Service Benefiting the Disadvantaged
Nationality
American
Denomination
Born into a Protestant Christian church
Sports
Tennis, golf
Hobbies
Playing bridge

Education

College
Harvard College Cambridge, Massachusetts USA 1973–1975
Secondary school
Lakeside School Seattle, Washington USA Class of 1973

In early 1973, Bill Gates served as a congressional page in the US House of Representatives; he scored 1590 out of 1600 on the SAT

Native language
English

Honorary Degrees

2009
University of Cambridge Cambridge, England UK Doctorate
2008
Karolinska Institutet Stockholm, Kingdom of Sweden Doctorate
2007
Harvard University Cambridge, Massachusetts USA LL.D. Doctor of Laws
2007
Tsinghua University Beijing, People's Republic of China Doctorate
2005
Waseda University Tokyo, State of Japan Doctorate
2002
Royal Institute of Technology Stockholm, Kingdom of Sweden Doctorate
2000
Nyenrode Business Universiteit Breukelen, Kingdom of the Netherlands Doctorate

Family

Vital statistics

Birth information
October 28, 1955
Gender
Male
Place of birth
 Seattle, Washington USA
Marital status
Married

Marriage

1994–present
Melinda Ann (French) Gates, DBE   3 children Jennifer Katharine GATES (1996) Rory John GATES Phoebe Adele GATES

Parents

Father
William H. Gates, II
Mother
Mary (Maxwell) Gates (1929 - 1994)

Grandparents

Father's father
William Henry GATES, I (1891 - 1969)
Father's mother
Lillian Elizabeth (Rice) Gates (1891 - 1966)
Mother's father
James Willard MAXWELL (1901 - 1960)
Mother's mother
Adele (Thompson) Maxwell (1903 - 1987)

Ancestry

English, German, Scots-Irish