Melinda Gates
| Melinda Gates | |
|---|---|
 Melinda Gates at the World Economic Forum in 2009 |
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| Born | Melinda Ann French August 15, 1964 Dallas, Texas, U.S. |
| Residence | Medina, Washington, U.S. |
| Nationality | American |
| Alma mater | Duke University (B.S. & M.B.A.) |
| Occupation | Co-Chair, operator of Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, philanthropist, and formerly unit manager |
| Religion | Roman Catholic |
| Spouse | Bill Gates (m. 1994) |
| Children | Jennifer Katharine Gates - (b. 1996) Rory John Gates - (b. 1999) Phoebe Adele Gates - (b. 2002) |
| Website | |
| Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation Home Page | |
Melinda French Gates (born Melinda Ann French on August 15, 1964)[1] is an American businesswoman and philanthropist. She is the wife of Bill Gates. She is the co-founder and co-chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and a former unit manager for several Microsoft products such as Publisher, Microsoft Bob, Encarta, and Expedia.
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[edit] Childhood and career
Gates was born in Dallas, Texas to Raymond Joseph French, Jr., an engineer, and Elaine Agnes Amerland, a homemaker. Gates was raised a Roman Catholic and attended St. Monica Catholic School,[2][3] where she was the top student in her class year. She graduated as valedictorian from Ursuline Academy of Dallas in 1982. Gates earned a bachelor's degree in computer science and economics from Duke University in 1986 and an MBA from Duke's Fuqua School of Business in 1987.
Shortly thereafter, she joined Microsoft and participated in the development of many of Microsoft’s multimedia products including Publisher, Microsoft Bob, Encarta, and Expedia.[4]
[edit] Awards and recognition
In December 2005, she and her husband, along with musician Bono, were named by Time as Persons of the Year. The Gates received the Spanish Prince of Asturias Award for International Cooperation on May 4, 2006 in recognition of their world impact through charitable giving.[5]
She was ranked #40 in Forbes magazine list of the 100 Most Powerful Women in 2008,[6] #24 in 2007,[7] and #12 in 2006.[8]
In November 2006, she and her husband were awarded the Order of the Aztec Eagle 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".
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On June 12, 2009, Melinda and Bill Gates received honorary degrees from the University of Cambridge. Their benefaction of $210 million in 2000 set up the Gates Cambridge Trust, which funds postgraduate scholars from outside the UK to study at the University.
Melinda Gates has also donated over 10 million dollars to her high school Ursuline Academy of Dallas. She is one of the major donors of their Facing the Future Campaign and was honored in their dedication ceremony on May 7, 2010.
[edit] Marriage and family
In 1994, she married Bill Gates in a private ceremony held in Lanai, Hawaii, after the couple met at a Microsoft press event while she visited Manhattan. Shortly thereafter, she left Microsoft to focus on starting and raising her family. Her last position was Microsoft’s General Manager of Information Products. The Gates have three children: daughters Jennifer Katharine Gates (born 1996) and Phoebe Adele Gates (born 2002), and son Rory John Gates (born 1999).
Gates served as a member of Duke University's board of trustees from 1996 to 2003.[9] Gates attends Bilderberg Group conferences and holds a seat on the board of directors of the Washington Post company.[10] She retired from the board of Drugstore.com in August 2006 to spend more time working for the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.[11]
The Gateses have donated more than US$24 billion to the Foundation.[12]
[edit] References
- ^ Texas Births, 1926-1995
- ^ Business week, Issues 3649-3652. McGraw-Hill. http://books.google.com/books?id=vo2ZAAAAIAAJ&q=Melinda+Gates+roman+catholic&dq=Melinda+Gates+roman+catholic. Retrieved 10 March 2011. "Raised a Roman Catholic and educated at a girls' Catholic high school, Melinda was encouraged to pursue he love of science"
- ^ Jeanne M. Lesinski. Bill Gates: Entrepreneur and Philanthropist. Twenty First Century Books. http://books.google.com/books?id=ubYgIB0TgUYC&pg=PA61&dq=Melinda+Gates+roman+catholic#v=onepage&q&f=false. Retrieved 10 March 2011. "Melinda, a devout Catholic, wanted a religious wedding."
- ^ "Profile: Bill Gates". BBC News. 2004-01-26. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/3428721.stm. Retrieved 2007-04-26.
- ^ Jason Cowley (22 May 2006). "Heroes of Our time: The Top 50". New Statesman. http://www.newstatesman.com/200605220016. Retrieved 2008-02-14.
- ^ "The World's 100 Most Powerful Women". Forbes. 2008-08-27. http://www.forbes.com/2008/08/27/most-powerful-women-biz-powerwomen08-cz_me_cs_0827women_land.html.
- ^ "#24 Melinda Gates - Forbes.com". Forbes. http://www.forbes.com/lists/2007/11/biz-07women_Melinda-Gates_7UR5.html.
- ^ "#12 Melinda Gates - Forbes.com". Forbes. http://www.forbes.com/lists/2006/11/06women_Melinda-Gates_7UR5.html.
- ^ Gates Joins Trustees
- ^ "Biography: Melinda French Gates". The Washington Post Company. 2007. http://phx.corporate-ir.net/phoenix.zhtml?c=62487&p=IROL-govHistBioDirectors&t=Regular&id=123743&. Retrieved 2008-02-14.
- ^ "Officers and Directors". Drugstore.com. 2005. Archived from the original on 2006-02-07. http://web.archive.org/web/20060207063601/http://investor.shareholder.com/drugstore/management.cfm. Retrieved 2008-02-14.
- ^ Melinda Gates on Charlie Rose.com
[edit] External links
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Melinda Gates |
- The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
- Appearances on C-SPAN
- Melinda Gates on Charlie Rose
- Melinda Gates at TED Conferences
- Melinda Gates at the Internet Movie Database
- Melinda Gates at the Notable Names Database
- Melinda Gates collected news and commentary at The New York Times
- Works by or about Melinda Gates in libraries (WorldCat catalog)
- Melinda Gates Goes Public, Fortune magazine, January 4, 2008
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- 1964 births
- American humanitarians
- American nonprofit businesspeople
- American philanthropists
- American Roman Catholics
- American women in business
- Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation people
- Duke University alumni
- Fuqua School of Business alumni
- Gates family
- Living people
- Microsoft employees
- People from Dallas, Texas
- The Washington Post people
