Steve Ballmer: Education, Accomplishments, FAQs

Steve Ballmer is known as an influential technology business executive. He served as CEO of Microsoft Corporation from 2000 to 2014. Considered one of the wealthiest people in the world, Ballmer's estimated net worth exceeded $90 billion in 2022.

Early Life and Education

Steve Ballmer was born on March 24, 1956, in Detroit, Michigan. He graduated from Harvard University in 1977 with a bachelor's degree in applied mathematics and economics. Ballmer's first position was in product management at Proctor & Gamble. He briefly attended the Stanford Graduate School of Business before launching his career at Microsoft.

Microsoft

In 1980, Steve Ballmer joined his Harvard classmate, Bill Gates, at Microsoft. Hired as its first business manager, Ballmer was the start-up's 30th employee at age 24. His base salary was $50,000 and included equity in the company and a percentage of the profit growth Ballmer would generate. Within his first year, Steve Ballmer would help Microsoft secure a contract with IBM to provide the operating system for its computers. Microsoft went public in March 1986.

Ballmer's early roles included executive vice president of sales and president. In 2000, he became the second CEO of Microsoft. During his fourteen-year tenure, Ballmer is credited with enhancing Microsoft’s enterprise strategy, overseeing the launch of the original Xbox, and investing in cloud technology. Ballmer led the expansion into search engines by releasing Bing and acquiring internet telephony provider Skype. Microsoft's revenue tripled under Ballmer's leadership.

Despite its success under Ballmer, Microsoft waivered under pressure from competitors like Apple and Google. In categories like mobile devices, search, and social media, Microsoft was slow to adapt. Critics accused Ballmer of focusing on sales and neglecting innovation. Several products underscored Microsoft's inability to compete, including the Zune digital media player, meant to rival the Apple iPod. Google Chair Eric Schmidt said of Microsoft in 2012: "They're a well-run company, but they haven't been able to bring state-of-the-art products into the fields we're talking about."

Ballmer retired from Microsoft in 2013.

Notable Accomplishments

After his retirement in 2014, Steve Ballmer bought the NBA's Los Angeles Clippers basketball team for $2 billion.

Ballmer is active in numerous charitable projects and is co-founder of the Ballmer Group, which provides philanthropy and civic engagement to help remove barriers and create opportunities throughout many stages of a young person’s life.

Steve Ballmer founded USAFacts, a non-profit organization and free website that allows users to track data and better understand U.S. government revenue and spending. In addition to the website, Numbers Geek is an accompanying podcast, produced in partnership with USAFacts, that addresses issues from education to politics with leaders in business, technology, and entertainment.

In 2018, he invested $59 million in Social Solutions, which makes software for nonprofits and government agencies.

The Bottom Line

Steve Ballmer's influence in the technology arena and at Microsoft Corporation remains evident today. His business acumen and leadership over 33 years with the corporation helped move Microsoft from an early start-up to a dominant force in the industry. Steve Ballmer's success has made him one of the richest people in the world.