Bill Gates
Born William Henry Gates
III, on October 28, 1955, in Seattle, Washington. Gates began to show an
interest in computer programming at the age of 13 at the Lakeside School.
Through technological innovation, keen business strategy, and aggressive
competitive tactics he built the world's largest software business, Microsoft.
In the process he became one of the richest men in the world.
Bill Gates
grew up in an upper middle-class family with two sisters: Kristianne, who is
older, and Libby, who is younger. Their father, William H. Gates, Sr., was a
promising, if somewhat shy, law student when he met his future wife, Mary
Maxwell. She was an athletic, outgoing student at the University of Washington,
actively involved in student affairs and leadership. The Gates family atmosphere
was warm and close, and all three children were encouraged to be competitive and
strive for excellence. Bill showed early signs of competitiveness when he
coordinated family athletic games at their summer house on Puget Sound. He also
relished in playing board games (Risk was his favorite) and excelled in
Monopoly.