What is Bill Neukom's Net Worth?
Bill Neukom is an American businessman and entrepreneur who has a net worth of $450 million. Bill Neukom is a former lawyer for Microsoft. He's best known for being the managing general partner of the MLB's San Francisco Giants. During his tenure with the Giants, which lasted from 2008 to 2011, the team won the 2010 World Series, its first since moving to California. The Giants have 32 principal partners. The team's current valuation is $4 billion. If every owner had an equal share, which they do not, a 1/32 share would be worth $125 million. Tori and Trina Burns, children of late owners Harmon and Sue Burns, are believed to own the largest share. Previously in his career, Neukom served as general legal counsel for Microsoft, as president of the American Bar Association, and as chairman of the law firm Preston Gates & Ellis.
Early Life and Education
Bill Neukom was born in 1942 in San Mateo, California to Ruth and John. He has three siblings. After graduating from San Mateo High School in 1960, he attended Dartmouth College on the East Coast, earning his Bachelor of Arts degree in 1964. Neukom then returned to the Bay Area to attend Stanford Law School, from which he earned his Bachelor of Laws degree in 1967.
Legal Career
Neukom kicked off his legal career in the late 1960s, serving as a bailiff and clerk for Judge Theodore S. Turner at the King County Superior Court in Seattle. He subsequently joined a small law firm. After nine years there, Neukom transitioned to the law firm Shidler, McBroom, Gates & Lucas.
Microsoft
In 1978, Bill Gates Sr. (the "Gates" in the firm name) appointed Neukom to give legal advice to his son, Bill Gates, who was running a small software company called Microsoft. Following six years as an outside counsel, Neukom became Microsoft's first general counsel in 1985. In his role, he oversaw the growth of the company's legal department from a team of five to upwards of 600 attorneys and support personnel. Neukom was also critical in defending Microsoft's intellectual property around the world and helping the company through difficult antitrust suits. He eventually rose in the ranks to the position of executive vice president, managing Microsoft's legal and governmental affairs and many philanthropic activities. Neukom left the company in 2002, and returned to the renamed law firm Preston Gates & Ellis, becoming the firm's chairman in 2004. Later, from 2007 to 2008, he served as president of the American Bar Association.
San Francisco Giants
Having been an investor in the MLB baseball team the San Francisco Giants since 1995, Neukom became the team's new managing general partner in 2008. With some other investors, he purchased a portion of outgoing managing general partner Peter Magowan's ownership interest, making Neukom the lead active investor in the team. During Neukom's tenure, which lasted through 2011, the Giants won the 2010 World Series, giving the team its first World Series title since 1954, and the first-ever as a California team.
Justin Sullivan/Getty Images
World Justice Project
With lawyer William C. Hubbard, Neukom co-founded the World Justice Project in 2006. An international civil society group, it produces the World Justice Project Rule of Law Index to show the extent to which countries around the world abide by the rule of law. The group also holds the World Justice Forum. Neukom serves as the CEO of the organization.
Philanthropy
From 1996 to 2007, Neukom was a member of the board of trustees at his alma mater Dartmouth College. He also served as the chair of the board from 2004 to 2007. In the former year, Neukom was the founding donor of the Neukom Institute for Computational Science at Dartmouth. In 2011 the William H. Neukom Building opened at Stanford University's Law School as a result of his $20 million gift.
Personal Life
In late 1963, Neukom married Diane McMakin. They had four children named Josselyn, Paul, Rob, and Jay, and divorced in 1977. Neukom later married Sally Barnes.
Read more: Bill Neukom Net Worth
0 Comments