Melinda Gates Net Worth, Early Life, Education, Microsoft, Husband, Children, Philanthropy, Awards and Recognition

Former Microsoft employee, Melinda Gates net worth accelerated as she put her hands on philanthropic works and co-founded Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

Synopsis

Born in 1964 Melinda Gates is best known as an American philanthropist. Before turning into a philanthropic works, Melinda worked at Microsoft. She served as the project manager for Microsoft Bob, Encarta and Expedia. Even though Melinda’s name is attached to American business magnate Bill Gates, Melinda Gates net worth increased due to her hard work for Microsoft and later in the public service sector.

Early Life and Education

Born as Melinda Ann French on August 15 1964 in Dallas, Texas, Melinda grew up with her three siblings. Her father Raymond Joseph French Jr. was an aerospace engineer while her mother Elaine Agnes Amerland was a homemaker. She grew up with an elder sister and two younger brothers.

Melinda grew up as a Roman Catholic and attended St. Monica Catholic School. She was a bright student who took over the top place in her class. Later, Melinda attended Ursuline Academy of Dallas and graduated as valedictorian in 1982. She went to Duke University to pursue bachelor’s degree in computer science and economics. After graduating from Duke University in 1986, Melinda earned an MBA from Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business in 1987. As a student in Duke University, she was the member of the Kappa Alpha Theta sorority. The degrees, academic excellence and active participation predicts rise of Melinda Gates net worth in the future.

Working in Microsoft

Soon after graduating from college, Melinda joined Microsoft where she participated in the development of multimedia products. The Microsoft’s products that she was involved developing includes Publisher, Microsoft Bob, Encarta and Expedia. Shortly after marriage, Melinda left Microsoft so that she can focus on her family. Prior to leaving Microsoft in 1996, she held the position of General Manager of Information Products.

Personal Life, Husband and Children

During her days in Microsoft, she met Bill Gates. Later, they married in 1994 in Lanai, Hawaii with a private ceremony. The Gates couple has three children: Jennifer Katherine Gates (1996), Rory John Gates (1999) and Phoebe Adele Gates (2002). The family lives in Lake Washington, near Seattle.

From 1996 to 2003, Melinda was the member of Board of Trustees of Duke University. Melinda Gates net worth rose as she became one of the boards of directors of Washington Post Company and actively attends Bilderberg Group conferences. Additionally, she was also in the board of Drugstore.com; however, she retired from the position in mid-2006. She retired with an aim to donate more time working for the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

After twenty-seven years of marriage, Melinda Gates filed for divorce in King County, Washington in May 2021. She further asked the judge to dissolve her and Bill Gate’s marriage per their separation contract.

On the other hand, Bill Gates announced the separation via Twitter. He hinted that the decision was amicable and that they’d continue working in the foundation together. However, Mr. Gates made it clear that they no longer see themselves grow as a pair.

Although no financial details were included in the documents, we shall surely update ya’ll in the future. Despite the tragedy, Melinda continues her philanthropic work.

Philanthropy and Charity

Melinda, along with her husband, initiated charitable activities in 1994. They started charity mostly because of the request of Bill’s father, William H. Gates and following Bill’s mother’s footstep, who was a devout philanthropist. The Gates couple first initiated William H. Gates Foundation which organized global health programs and projects in Pacific Northwest.

Their philanthropic effort increased as they founded the Gates Library Foundation (Gates Learning Foundation). The Gates aspired to benefit North American libraries establishing Internet technologies on public libraries through Gates Library Foundation. Their third attempt came up in 1999 as Gates Millennium Scholars Program which donated $1 billion as minority study grants.

Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation

A year later, i.e. in 2000, Melinda Gates net worth started to rise as she co-founded Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation with her husband Bill Gates. By this time, Bill and Melinda had genuinely developed interest in charity. The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation has donated $17 billion according to the reports. By 2006, it had become the world’s largest with assets increasing to $60 billion in next two decades.

The Gates Foundation works mainly in three divisions. They are global health, global development and education in the United States. The Foundation worked around the world in solving health problems. It emphasized on developing treatments and vacancies for malaria, HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis. For the Foundation, Bill and Melinda have donated $28 billion.

Awards and Recognition

Melinda Gates net worth and recognition rose with her good deeds that benefit the USA and the other parts of the world. Her short lived role in corporation and her involvement in charity is the reason behind her growing admiration and popularity. Melinda and Bill Gates received the Award for Greatest Public Service Benefitting the Disadvantaged in 2002. Similarly, Time named the Gates couple as Persons of the Year in 2005. They also received Spanish Prince of Asturias Award for International Cooperation in 2006. The award raised Melinda Gates net worth as well as Bill’s since it demonstrated the impact of their charity in the world.

In 2006, Melinda received Insignia of the Order of the Aztec Edges award along with Bill Gates for their philanthropic work around the world in education and healthcare sector. The same year, Melinda Gates net worth grew higher as Seattle Children’s Hospital dedicated the Melinda French Gates Ambulatory Care building after her name.

In 2007, Melinda received honorary doctorate in medicine from Karolinska Institute in Stockholm. Similarly, the Gates couple received honorary degrees from the University of Cambridge and donated their $210 million to set up Gates Cambridge Trust.

Melinda also received honorary Doctor of Humane Letters Award from Duke University in 2013 as a tribute to her philanthropic work. Forbes listed her as #3 in 100 Most Powerful Women in 2013 and 2014 while Forbes ranked her #4 in 2012 and #6 in 2011 under same list.

One of the major donors to Ursuline Academy of Dallas, Melinda Gates net worth increased as she received Padma Bhusan from India along with Bill Gates in 2015. In 2016, President Barack Obama honored Gates couple with the Presidential Medal of Freedom. Furthermore, UK-based Company Richtopia ranked her 12^th in 200 Most Influential Philanthropists and Social Entrepreneurs Worldwide.

The philanthropic works of the Gates couple landed them with honors within and outside of the USA. The President of France, Francois Hollande awarded Melinda and Bill Gates with highest national award –Legion of Honour in 2017. Melinda is the receiver of Otto Hahn Peace Medal 2016 of UN Association of Germany for excellence in peace and international understanding.

Further Plan and Net Worth

With sharp brain and charitable nature, Melinda Gates net worth rose incomparably high. She further plans to work on an important issue which according to her is fewer women graduating in technology. Melinda says she is currently in the “learning mode” and will be addressing the problem after the end of this period.

Though Bill Gates and Melinda Gates worked together in most aspects and garnered net worth of over $85 billion together, Melinda Gates net worth alone is no less than $70 billion. The altruistic business magnate and philanthropist Melinda Gates has not only accumulated high net worth, but also won millions of hearts with her efforts to eradicate issues that world face. Therefore, Melinda Gates holds a remarkable place in this world, not only in her country.

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