Steve Ballmer
(1956-)
Steve Ballmer was president and CEO of Microsoft Corp. from January 2000 until his retirement in February 2014.
Ballmer's responsibilities included boosting the business
discipline and performance of all Microsoft's existing and emerging businesses
as well as continuing to improve customer satisfaction. Ballmer also
focused on reinventing the Microsoft working environment so that the company
is even more responsive to changing customer needs, new technologies and
market dynamics.
Ballmer has held a number of positions since joining
Microsoft in 1980. Most recently, president, responsible for broadening the
leadership of the company and positioning it to take advantage of future
growth opportunities. Prior to that, he was executive vice president of sales
and support, where he drove all activities related to Microsoft's sales,
support and marketing. He shaped the new model of broad customer service in
the '90s, building and maintaining comprehensive long-term relationships with
customers.
Ballmer also has been responsible for leading Microsoft's
channel efforts, and has been instrumental in forging strategic relationships
with key business associates at every level of the value chain. He is a member
of Microsoft's Business Leadership Team, which shares responsibility with Bill
Gates and 12 other senior executives for broad strategic and business planning
for the entire company.
A graduate of Harvard University, Ballmer earned a degree
in applied math and economics and later worked at Procter & Gamble Co. as
an assistant product manager. He then attended the Stanford Graduate School of
Business. He is also a member of the Stanford Business School Advisory
Council. In his free time, he enjoys working out at the gym, jogging and
playing basketball.
The Detroit-born son of a Jewish mother was ranked as the 24th richest person in the world, with an estimated wealth of $15 billion, in Forbes magazine's 2006 "World's Richest People" ranking.
Sources: Microsoft
and the Jerusalem Report, (2/14/2000), Wikipedia |