Bill Gates

By Tom Kirvan

Once the world’s richest man, Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates turned 70 on October 28, a milestone certain to cement his status as a pioneer of the personal computer revolution and one of the greatest philanthropists in history.

Born and raised in Seattle, Gates took his immense academic talents to Harvard, the Ivy League school where he honed his entrepreneurial skills before dropping out in 1975 to co-found Microsoft with his childhood friend, Paul Allen. The two launched an initial public offering for the company in 1986, becoming billionaires a year later as its stock price shot up. Gates served as the company’s CEO for 25 years and was its chairman of the board until stepping down in 2014 to concentrate on his philanthropic endeavors.

Gates and his then-wife, Melinda, were co-chairs of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation from 2000-24, focusing their giving on health, education, and poverty alleviation. Following their divorce, the foundation was renamed the Gates Foundation with Gates as its sole chair. The foundation is expected to give out more than $8 billion in grants in 2025 and has donated more than $83 billion to various charitable causes since its inception.

The father of three children and the son of a prominent Seattle attorney, Gates has imparted plenty of business wisdom over the course of his career, noting: “Success is a lousy teacher. It seduces smart people into thinking they can’t lose.”

Other notable quotes of his:

Bill Gates*

“To win big, you sometimes have to take big risks.”
“We all need people who will give us feedback. That’s how we improve.”
“Your most unhappy customers are your greatest source of learning.”
“It’s fine to celebrate success, but it is more important to heed the lessons of failure.”
“I believe that people who are financially successful have a responsibility to give back to society.”