Earlier this week, before we headed for Seattle, I posed a question to Joan: "What should we talk about with Bill and Melinda?"
Her response was quick and simple: "What ever they want to."
So, on Thursday, we met at their family office, an unmarked floor of a building in the Seattle area. The main purpose was a photo shoot for an upcoming feature on philanthropy. The Gates's team, on both the Pledge side and the family side, couldn't have been friendlier and more open, discussing work in Africa, excitement about the the successes of the Pledge, etc.
Then Melinda walked in, a large smile on her face, and a warm, "Hi, I'm Melinda." Bill was right behind, "And I'm Bill."
From there, we talked about giving, about the joy it brings. Melinda chatted with Hannah about college and yoga, asked Joe about his baseball injury (he's on crutches from an ankle sprain), told Joan about how much she enjoyed our book and family story. Bill and I talked about philanthropy in India, bringing kids to Africa and the work of The Hunger Project.
I was thinking about these two. How many people can you name in our society who have truly changed our world? A dozen, two dozen tops? World leaders, despots, Nelson Mandela, Steve Jobs? And of course, Bill Gates belongs on that list -- he's more responsible than anyone for creating products that completely transformed how corporations work.
OK, now think about this: How big is the club of people who have truly changed our world TWICE? Through the work of the Gates Foundation, Bill and Melinda have invested more than $24 billion over the past 17 years in health, education and other causes. They give away more than their required annual amount (a tiny percentage of foundations do that). They take on the big hairy issues -- health in impoverished communities, how to create more effective teachers.
As I stood there chatting with Bill Gates, it never crossed my mind that I was talking to America's richest human. Instead, I viewed him as a great philanthropist, a giver, a caring soul. My bet is, he'd take that.
+04.21.2011 - A word from the students at ...
+02.10.2010 - How should we respond?
+02.11.2010 - I love this article
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