Ric Weiland

Ric Weiland was a software developer, programmer, and philanthropist who made a big impact in many areas. He was born on April 21, 1953, and sadly 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 decided to leave Microsoft to focus on investment management and giving back to the community. He was known for his quiet but generous support of many important causes, including helping the LGBTQ community, protecting the environment, supporting health and human services, and improving education.

After he passed away, it was revealed that Ric had given more than $165 million to 20 different nonprofit groups, making him one of the largest donors in the United States at the time. His kindness and support continue to help many people even today.

Early life

Ric Weiland was a high-school classmate and friend of Paul Allen. Together, they started the Lakeside Programmers Group at Lakeside School, a 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 and 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, the Martha Meier Weiland professorship at the School of Medicine.

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, making it a very big help for many groups.

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

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