Paul Allen, billionaire co-founder of Microsoft, philanthropist, science fiction fan, and founder of Seattle's Museum of Pop Culture (formerly the Experience Museum Project), has died from complications of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. He was 65.
His professional timeline is quite something:
1953: Paul Allen is born January 21, 1953 in Seattle, Washington 1968: While at Lakeside School, Paul meets Bill Gates. A friendship that would later produce one of the world’s most innovative companies, Microsoft. 1969: Attends first rock concert, where he sees Jimi Hendrix at Seattle Center Coliseum 1975: Founds Microsoft 1982: In September, Paul is diagnosed with Hodgkin’s lymphoma. Nearly eight months later, doctors said he had beaten the disease. 1983: Officially resigns from Microsoft in March 1986: Founds Vulcan Inc. in Seattle as an investment and project management firm with his sister, Jody Allen 1988: Establishes The Paul G. Allen Family Foundation 1988: Purchases the Portland Trail Blazers 1988: Rescues Seattle Cinerama from demolition by purchasing and restoring the theater 1990: The Paul G. Allen Family Foundation makes its first grant. 1990: Becomes a billionaire at age 37 1995: Makes his single biggest investment to date by purchasing a 18.5% stake in Dreamworks 1996: Purchases the St. Paul’s Hospital in London, which would reopen later after renovations as The Hospital Club 1997: Creates Vulcan Productions, an independent film production company 1997: Purchases the Seattle Seahawks, preventing the NFL team from relocating to California 2002: Donates $14 million to the University of Washington to construct the Paul G. Allen Center for Computer Science and Engineering 2003: Launches the Allen Institute for Brain Science (AIBS) with $100 million in seed money 2004: SpaceShipOne becomes the first privately-based effort to successfully put a civilian in suborbital space, winning the Ansari X Prize 2004: Opens the Flying Heritage Collection, a private collection of warbirds, in Arlington, Washington 2008: Lifetime philanthropic giving reaches $1 billion in total 2009: Becomes a minority owner in Seattle Sounders, the MLS team 2011: Releases memoir “Idea Man” 2011: Announces the launch of Stratolaunch Systems. Read the rest
