Wasn’t Gates mother instrumental to securing that contract because she pitched Microsoft’s Basic directly to the CEO of IBM who was a fellow member of some board they shared?
It helped that there was a personal connection: Bill’s mother, Mary, had served on the board of directors of charity United Way, as had incoming IBM chairman John Opel. “Oh, is that Mary Gates’ boy’s company?” Opel reportedly asked when he heard of Microsoft’s involvement. The deal was signed in November 1980.
Some are pretty certain Mrs. Gates had an affair with Opel, but it is unclear whether the affair occurred just before the deal or long before the deal when they served together on the board of United Way of America together.
