Bill Gates helped usher in a personal computing revolution that brought computers to the masses.
The Seattle native dropped out of Harvard University and co-founded Microsoft in 1975.
After holding a number of leading roles at the company he co-founded, Gates eventually left his day job at Microsoft in 2008 to focus full time on his philanthropic organization, The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
Gates' philanthropic endeavors have garnered global acclaim: In 2005, Gates was knighted by Britain's Queen Elizabeth II, and in 2016 he and his wife received the Presidential Medal of Freedom from Barack Obama.
In 2021, Bill and Melinda French Gates announced they were ending their marriage after 27 years.
Persons:
Bill Gates, Gates, Melinda Gates, Queen Elizabeth II, Barack Obama, Melinda French Gates
Organizations:
Seattle, Harvard University, Microsoft, Forbes, Melinda Gates Foundation