William H. Gates
Bill Gates Sr. brings a distinguished career in law and many years of public service to his role as Co-Chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
Bill earned his bachelor's and law degrees from the University of Washington, following three years of U.S. Army service in World War II. He became a partner in the law firm of Shidler McBroom & Gates in 1964, guiding it through growth and mergers that would eventually establish Preston Gates & Ellis, one of Seattle's leading law firms.
A successful and prominent attorney, Bill has served as president of both the Seattle/King County Bar Association and the Washington State Bar Association. His many other leadership positions include past chairmanship of the Washington Courts 2000 Committee and the National Conference of Bar Presidents of the American Bar Association. His awards and honors include the 1992 American Judicature Society Herbert Harley Award and being named the 1991 University of Washington Law School Distinguished Alumnus. He is also a recipient of the American Lawyer Lifetime Achievement Award in 2005 and the American Bar Medal in 2009.
Bill has served as trustee, officer and volunteer for more than two dozen Northwest organizations, including the Greater Seattle Chamber of Commerce and King County United Way. In 1995, he founded the Technology Alliance, a cooperative regional effort to expand technology-based employment in Washington. He also has been a strong advocate for education for many years, chairing the Seattle Public School Levy Campaign in 1971 and serving as a member of the University of Washington's Board of Regents since 1997. He was General Chair, Campaign UW "Creating Futures" from 2001 to 2008. Bill also serves as a member of the board of directors of Costco Wholesale Corporation.
Bill is also a founder of the Initiative for Global Development, a group comprised of local civic and business leaders which is urging the U.S. Government to increase the level of foreign assistance spending to combat global poverty.
- Appointed by Governor Gary Locke from December 18, 1997 to September 30, 2000
- Confirmed by Senate on February 13, 1998
- Reappointed by Governor Gary Locke from October 1, 2000 to September 30, 2006
- Confirmed by Senate on May 19, 2001
- Reappointed by Governor Christine Gregoire from October 1, 2006 to September 30, 2012
- Confirmed by Senate on February 2, 2007
