Ric Weiland
Encyclopedia
Richard W. 'Ric' Weiland (21 April 1953 – 24 June 2006) was a computer software pioneer and philanthropist. He was one of the first five employees of Microsoft
Corp.
, with whom he created the Lakeside Programmers Group at Lakeside School
, a preparatory school in Seattle. Bill Gates
, Paul Allen, Kent Evans, and Weiland were involved with the Computer Center Corporation, using their PDP-10
. They worked together to create a payroll program in COBOL for Portland company Information Sciences Inc., and wrote scheduling software for a school.
, Allen and Bill Gates
hired him in 1975, the same year they founded Microsoft in Albuquerque
. As one of only five employees, Weiland was a lead programmer and developer for the company's BASIC
and COBOL
language systems.
After a stint at Harvard Business School
, he rejoined Microsoft in 1982 and became the project leader for Microsoft Works
. He left Microsoft in 1988 and dedicated most of his time to philanthropy. He was described by Allen as a "brilliant programmer" and a key contributor to the company's success.
http://www.pridefoundation.org/, the Lifelong AIDS Alliance, United Way of King County, the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center
, Stanford University, the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network
, AMFAR
, The Nature Conservancy
, and the National Audubon Society
. He was influential as an active member of the Northwest gay community. A member of the Pride Foundation's board of directors from 1997 to 2001, he helped win the fight to get General Electric
to include sexual orientation in their non-discrimination policy.
Weiland also was a quiet but key second round investor in gay online media company PlanetOut Corp. His investment helped the company survive the dot com crash of 2000. PlanetOut was acquired by Online Partners in 2001 and is now called PlanetOut Inc.
It was once estimated that during his life he had contributed $30 million to over 50 organizations. He was known not to seek publicity for his philanthropy.
On February 24, 2008, Pride Foundation announced that Ric had bequeathed $65 Million to support gay rights and HIV
/AIDS
organizations - the largest ever single bequest for LGBT
community. Through his estate, Weiland established a fund at the Pride Foundation that will provide $46 million over the next eight years to 10 national LGBT and HIV/AIDS organizations that he personally selected and $19 million directly to Pride Foundation for their scholarships and grants supporting the Northwest's LGBT community.
Medical Examiner's Office said he died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head on 24 June 2006. He was reported to have suffered from clinical depression
. "...Survivors include his partner, Mike Schaefer."
A supporter of his alma mater, he established the Weiland Family Stanford Graduate Fellowship and endowed the Martha Meier Weiland professorship at the Stanford University School of Medicine
.
24 February 2008, Pride Foundation announced that the estate had left $65 million to gay rights and HIV/AIDS organizations. The $65 million is among bequests totaling about $160 million -- the bulk of Weiland's estate -- to various charities and Stanford University, his undergraduate alma mater, according to an estimate provided by the Pride Foundation.
Microsoft
Microsoft Corporation is an American public multinational corporation headquartered in Redmond, Washington, USA that develops, manufactures, licenses, and supports a wide range of products and services predominantly related to computing through its various product divisions...
Corp.
Early life
Weiland was a high school classmate and friend of Paul AllenPaul Allen
Paul Gardner Allen is an American business magnate, investor, and philanthropist. Allen co-founded Microsoft with Bill Gates...
, with whom he created the Lakeside Programmers Group at Lakeside School
Lakeside School
Lakeside School is a private/independent school located in the Haller Lake neighborhood at the north city limits of Seattle, Washington, USA, for grades 5–12....
, a preparatory school in Seattle. Bill Gates
Bill Gates
William Henry "Bill" Gates III is an American business magnate, investor, philanthropist, and author. Gates is the former CEO and current chairman of Microsoft, the software company he founded with Paul Allen...
, Paul Allen, Kent Evans, and Weiland were involved with the Computer Center Corporation, using their PDP-10
PDP-10
The PDP-10 was a mainframe computer family manufactured by Digital Equipment Corporation from the late 1960s on; the name stands for "Programmed Data Processor model 10". The first model was delivered in 1966...
. They worked together to create a payroll program in COBOL for Portland company Information Sciences Inc., and wrote scheduling software for a school.
Microsoft
After he graduated from Stanford UniversityStanford University
The Leland Stanford Junior University, commonly referred to as Stanford University or Stanford, is a private research university on an campus located near Palo Alto, California. It is situated in the northwestern Santa Clara Valley on the San Francisco Peninsula, approximately northwest of San...
, Allen and Bill Gates
Bill Gates
William Henry "Bill" Gates III is an American business magnate, investor, philanthropist, and author. Gates is the former CEO and current chairman of Microsoft, the software company he founded with Paul Allen...
hired him in 1975, the same year they founded Microsoft in Albuquerque
Albuquerque, New Mexico
Albuquerque is the largest city in the state of New Mexico, United States. It is the county seat of Bernalillo County and is situated in the central part of the state, straddling the Rio Grande. The city population was 545,852 as of the 2010 Census and ranks as the 32nd-largest city in the U.S. As...
. As one of only five employees, Weiland was a lead programmer and developer for the company's BASIC
BASIC
BASIC is a family of general-purpose, high-level programming languages whose design philosophy emphasizes ease of use - the name is an acronym from Beginner's All-purpose Symbolic Instruction Code....
and COBOL
COBOL
COBOL is one of the oldest programming languages. Its name is an acronym for COmmon Business-Oriented Language, defining its primary domain in business, finance, and administrative systems for companies and governments....
language systems.
After a stint at Harvard Business School
Harvard Business School
Harvard Business School is the graduate business school of Harvard University in Boston, Massachusetts, United States and is widely recognized as one of the top business schools in the world. The school offers the world's largest full-time MBA program, doctoral programs, and many executive...
, he rejoined Microsoft in 1982 and became the project leader for Microsoft Works
Microsoft Works
Microsoft Works is an integrated package software that is produced by Microsoft. Works is smaller, less expensive, and has fewer features than Microsoft Office or other major office suites. Its core functionality includes a word processor, a spreadsheet and a database management system...
. He left Microsoft in 1988 and dedicated most of his time to philanthropy. He was described by Allen as a "brilliant programmer" and a key contributor to the company's success.
Philanthropy
Weiland was a donor to organizations such as the Pride FoundationPride Foundation
The Pride Foundation is an LGBT philanthropic foundation in the Pacific Northwest. It was founded in 1985, and has issued over $8 million in grants and over $1.65 million to the more than 50 scholarships it manages....
http://www.pridefoundation.org/, the Lifelong AIDS Alliance, United Way of King County, the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center
Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center
The Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, is one of the world’s leading cancer research institutes...
, Stanford University, the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network
Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network
The Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network is an organization in the United States that seeks to end discrimination, harassment, and bullying based on sexual orientation, gender identity and gender expression in K-12 schools. GLSEN is headquartered in New York City and the District of Columbia...
, AMFAR
AmfAR
amfAR, The Foundation for AIDS Research, is an international nonprofit organization dedicated to the support of AIDS research, HIV prevention, treatment education, and the advocacy of sound AIDS-related public policy.-History:...
, The Nature Conservancy
The Nature Conservancy
The Nature Conservancy is a US charitable environmental organization that works to preserve the plants, animals, and natural communities that represent the diversity of life on Earth by protecting the lands and waters they need to survive....
, and the National Audubon Society
National Audubon Society
The National Audubon Society is an American non-profit environmental organization dedicated to conservation. Incorporated in 1905, Audubon is one of the oldest of such organizations in the world and uses science, education and grassroots advocacy to advance its conservation mission...
. He was influential as an active member of the Northwest gay community. A member of the Pride Foundation's board of directors from 1997 to 2001, he helped win the fight to get General Electric
General Electric
General Electric Company , or GE, is an American multinational conglomerate corporation incorporated in Schenectady, New York and headquartered in Fairfield, Connecticut, United States...
to include sexual orientation in their non-discrimination policy.
Weiland also was a quiet but key second round investor in gay online media company PlanetOut Corp. His investment helped the company survive the dot com crash of 2000. PlanetOut was acquired by Online Partners in 2001 and is now called PlanetOut Inc.
PlanetOut Inc.
PlanetOut Inc. was a public media and entertainment company exclusively targeting the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender demographic...
It was once estimated that during his life he had contributed $30 million to over 50 organizations. He was known not to seek publicity for his philanthropy.
On February 24, 2008, Pride Foundation announced that Ric had bequeathed $65 Million to support gay rights and HIV
HIV
Human immunodeficiency virus is a lentivirus that causes acquired immunodeficiency syndrome , a condition in humans in which progressive failure of the immune system allows life-threatening opportunistic infections and cancers to thrive...
/AIDS
AIDS
Acquired immune deficiency syndrome or acquired immunodeficiency syndrome is a disease of the human immune system caused by the human immunodeficiency virus...
organizations - the largest ever single bequest for LGBT
LGBT
LGBT is an initialism that collectively refers to "lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender" people. In use since the 1990s, the term "LGBT" is an adaptation of the initialism "LGB", which itself started replacing the phrase "gay community" beginning in the mid-to-late 1980s, which many within the...
community. Through his estate, Weiland established a fund at the Pride Foundation that will provide $46 million over the next eight years to 10 national LGBT and HIV/AIDS organizations that he personally selected and $19 million directly to Pride Foundation for their scholarships and grants supporting the Northwest's LGBT community.
Death
The King CountyKing County, Washington
King County is a county located in the U.S. state of Washington. The population in the 2010 census was 1,931,249. King is the most populous county in Washington, and the 14th most populous in the United States....
Medical Examiner's Office said he died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head on 24 June 2006. He was reported to have suffered from clinical depression
Clinical depression
Major depressive disorder is a mental disorder characterized by an all-encompassing low mood accompanied by low self-esteem, and by loss of interest or pleasure in normally enjoyable activities...
. "...Survivors include his partner, Mike Schaefer."
A supporter of his alma mater, he established the Weiland Family Stanford Graduate Fellowship and endowed the Martha Meier Weiland professorship at the Stanford University School of Medicine
Stanford University School of Medicine
Stanford University School of Medicine is a leading medical school located at Stanford University Medical Center in Stanford, California. Originally based in San Francisco, California as Cooper Medical College, it is the oldest continuously running medical school in the western United States...
.
24 February 2008, Pride Foundation announced that the estate had left $65 million to gay rights and HIV/AIDS organizations. The $65 million is among bequests totaling about $160 million -- the bulk of Weiland's estate -- to various charities and Stanford University, his undergraduate alma mater, according to an estimate provided by the Pride Foundation.
External links
- Microsoft pioneer a major benefactor Seattle Post-IntelligencerSeattle Post-IntelligencerThe Seattle Post-Intelligencer is an online newspaper and former print newspaper covering Seattle, Washington, United States, and the surrounding metropolitan area...
obituary - Stanford University news bulletin
- Seattle man who helped launch Microsoft left $65M for gay rights
- Ex-Microsoft worker leaves $65 mil to gay rights, AIDS groups