Ric Weiland

Ric Weiland

Ric Weiland was a software developer, programmer, and someone who helped many people. He was born on April 21, 1953, and passed away on June 24, 2006. Ric became the second employee at Microsoft Corporation while he was still a student at Stanford University in Stanford, California.

At the age of 35, Ric left Microsoft to spend time managing investments and helping his community. He was known for quietly supporting many important causes. These included helping the LGBTQ community, protecting the environment, supporting health and human services, and improving education.

After he passed away, it was found that Ric had given more than $165 million to 20 different groups that help people. His kindness still helps many people today.

Early life

Ric Weiland was a high-school classmate and friend of Paul Allen. They started the Lakeside Programmers Group at Lakeside School in Seattle. Weiland, Allen, Bill Gates, and Gates' friend Kent Evans worked with the Computer Center Corporation using a PDP-10. They made a payroll program in COBOL for a company in Portland, Oregon. They also created scheduling software for Lakeside School.

Microsoft

Ric Weiland joined Microsoft in 1975, the same year the company was founded in Albuquerque. He was one of the first five employees and helped develop important computer languages like BASIC. After studying for a short time at Harvard Business School in Cambridge, Massachusetts, he returned to Microsoft to lead the team that created Microsoft Works. His work was very important to the company's early success.

Philanthropy

Ric Weiland gave money to help many nonprofit groups. He shared about $21.5 million to support good causes from 1996 to 2006. One of his biggest gifts was to create a special chair at Stanford University in memory of his mother.

He was active in supporting fair treatment for all people and helped groups that work to make schools safe and welcoming for everyone. After his passing, more than $56 million went to organizations that support fairness and health.

Weiland also left money to places like the United Way of King County, the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, Seattle Children's Hospital, and several groups that care for the environment. His gift to Stanford University was one of the largest ever given, creating many scholarships and special positions for teachers. These gifts continue to help students and important projects today.

Death

Ric Weiland died on June 24, 2006. He is remembered by his partner Mike Schaefer and by two nieces and two nephews who live in Oregon and Washington. There is a documentary about his life called Yes I Am: The Ric Weiland Story.