He is known simply as one of the richest men in the world. And his name is Bill Gates. With an estimated net worth of over one hundred billion dollars, William Henry Gates III was born in Seattle Washington on October 28, 1955. He is known for being the founder of the Microsoft Corporation but he is so much more. A family man. Bill Gates enjoys family time with his wife, Melinda, daughter Jennifer Catherine Gates, son Roy John Gates and other daughter Phoebe Adele Gates.

He married the love of his life in 1994. And together they established the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. He co-founded the Microsoft Corporation with his best friend Paul Allen in 1975 in Albuquerque. New Mexico. The corporation is now the largest personal software computer company in the world. He has been listed in the Forbes richest people in the world since 1987. And from 1995-2017, except 4 years, he held the elusive title of being the richest man in the world. He stands 5 feet 10 inches and is currently working with the federal government on how to stop the most recent Coronavirus crisis. He has been an expert adviser on CNN speaking about how the virus is now affecting both small businesses. And very large corporations.

Bill Gates Life Begins

William Henry Gates III was born to father William Gates Sr and mother Mary. His father was an attorney and his mother was an executive officer for a major bank. And also a teacher before she had the kids. It was during this time that young William Gates III learned how to compete in the business world. While learning an entrepreneurial spirit from his father and how to lead from his mother, young Bill Gates was used to competing early and winning. This would help him in developing his passion for computers and co-founding Microsoft Corporation.

His parents encouraged Bill and his siblings, elder sister Kristi and younger sister Libby Gates to do their best in everything they tried. Bill Gates attended private school at age 13 at Lakeside school. Bill Gates was the middle child of his siblings. His older sister Kristi later became his tax accountant. His beloved mother Mary died of breast cancer in her Laurelhurst home in Seattle, Washington after fighting the disease for months. In addition to being a great businesswoman Mary Gates served on the Board of Regents for the University of Washington for many years. Bill Gates is known for saying the he received a lot of his business acumen from his mother who actually helped with the success of Microsoft. He also says that she taught him how to be generous and to give back in life.

The Beginning of the Now Global Microsoft Corporation

Bill Gates attended Harvard University but dropped out during his junior year to build his computer software and programming company with best friend Paul Allen. He wrote his first computer software program at the age of 13 years old. While in high school, he helped to organize a group of students who would go on to develop the schools’ payroll system. In 1975, Bill Gates joined his friend Paul Allen , while still at Harvard University to develop computer software for the first microcomputers.

The Microsoft Corporation began by licensing an operating system MS-DOS to the International Business Machines Corporation which became the biggest supplier for the IBM PC computer. In 1981, the IBM computer set the technological standard for computers with the MS-DOS operating system leading the way. While Microsoft maintained its independence, the large computer company of IBM depended upon Bill Gates for critically needed computer software.

The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation

In addition to being one of the richest and most influential men in the world, he is also co-founder of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. A trait that was learned early in life from his mother Mary. Bill knew early on that he wanted to give back once he succeeded in life. The Bill and Melinda Foundation does just that. The foundation is located at 500 5th Avenue North Seattle, Washington 98109.

You can contact them via the website, www.gatesfoundation.org or through their customer service telephone line at 206-709-3100. It was founded in the year 2000. The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation’s purpose is to fight globally the spread of AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria. It also does several private ventures that are near and dear to the founders.

These are some fun facts that you may not know about the great William Henry Gates III. Otherwise known to the world as Bill Gates. Raised in a home that encouraged leadership and competition and with a mother who encouraged giving back, Bill Gates leads the world by using his passion for computer software development to co-found the worlds largest Microsoft Corporation computer software company and by giving back millions to important causes around the world.

Images: Gisela Giardino, Kees de Vos, World Economic Forum, NIH Image Gallery, Joi Ito, Kjetil Ree