William Henry Gates

William H. Gates Sr. was the Co-Chairman of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. Before his work with the foundation, he co-founded Preston Gates & Ellis LLP and worked there until 1998. He was known for civic contributions and served on the board of directors of United Way of America. Additionally, Gates Sr. served on the board of Costco, Pacific Health Summit and was president of Seattle-King County Bar Association and Washington State Bar Association. Gates Sr. was a distinguished regent of the University of Washington and provided the impetus for the creation of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. He was a recipient of the Distinguished Eagle Scout Award, American Judicature Society Herbert Harley Award, Washington Medal of Merit, and Chi Psi Fraternity’s Albert S. Bard Award. He worked with Chuck Collins in writing “Wealth and Our Commonwealth: Why America Should Tax Accumulated Fortunes.”