Career Timeline of Steve Ballmer: Major Achievements and Milestones

From career breakthroughs to professional milestones, explore how Steve Ballmer made an impact.

Steve Ballmer is an American businessman best known for his tenure as CEO of Microsoft from 2000 to 2014. During his leadership, Microsoft navigated the dot-com bubble burst and shifted towards cloud computing. He is recognized for his energetic and passionate presentations. Beyond Microsoft, Ballmer owns the Los Angeles Clippers NBA team. He is also a co-founder of Ballmer Group, a philanthropic organization focusing on social mobility and community development.

Sections (5)

Full Timeline Early Life & Education Career & Achievements Challenges & Struggles Controversies & Scandals

June 11, 1980: Ballmer Joins Microsoft

On June 11, 1980, Steve Ballmer joined Microsoft as the 30th employee and the first business manager hired by Bill Gates.

1980: Ballmer Dropped Out of Stanford to Join Microsoft

In 1980, Steve Ballmer dropped out of the Stanford Graduate School of Business to join Microsoft.

1980: Hired by Microsoft

In 1980, Steve Ballmer was hired by Bill Gates at Microsoft. He left the MBA program at Stanford University to join the company.

1981: Ballmer Acquired Stake in Microsoft

When Microsoft was incorporated in 1981, Steve Ballmer owned 8% of the company.

February 1992: Ballmer Becomes Executive Vice President

In February 1992, Steve Ballmer became the Executive Vice President for Sales and Support at Microsoft.

1994: $10 million donation to Harvard computer science

In 1994, Steve Ballmer and Bill Gates made a joint gift of $10 million to Harvard University's computer science department.

1997: Microsoft Invested in Apple to Save it from Bankruptcy

In 1997, Microsoft invested in Apple to save it from bankruptcy.

July 1998: Ballmer Promoted to President of Microsoft

In July 1998, Steve Ballmer was promoted to President of Microsoft.

1998: Became President of Microsoft

In 1998, Steve Ballmer became the President of Microsoft.

January 13, 2000: Ballmer Becomes CEO of Microsoft

On January 13, 2000, Steve Ballmer replaced Bill Gates as the CEO of Microsoft.

2000: Ballmer Becomes CEO

In 2000, Bill Gates was glad Steve Ballmer became CEO so he could focus on technology, but the Wall Street Journal reported there was tension surrounding the transition of authority.

February 2001: Ballmer Sheds Title of President

In February 2001, Steve Ballmer relinquished the title of president after becoming CEO.

2001: Director of Accenture

In 2001, Steve Ballmer became a director of Accenture.

2001: Comments on Linux

In 2001, Steve Ballmer made comments about Linux that he later said were correct at the time.

2003: Ballmer Sold Microsoft Shares

In 2003, Steve Ballmer sold 39.3 million Microsoft shares for about $955 million, reducing his ownership to 4%.

2005: Recruitment of B. Kevin Turner

In 2005, Steve Ballmer recruited B. Kevin Turner from Walmart to become Microsoft's chief operating officer.

2006: Gates Relinquished Day-to-day Activities

In 2006, Bill Gates relinquished day-to-day activities at Microsoft, giving Steve Ballmer more autonomy as CEO.

2006: Left Accenture

In 2006, Steve Ballmer ended his role as director of Accenture.

2007: Prediction about iPhone Market Share

In 2007, Steve Ballmer stated, "There's no chance that the iPhone is going to get any significant market share. No chance."

2009: Criticism of Apple's pricing

In 2009, at a conference in NYC, Steve Ballmer criticized Apple's pricing strategy, suggesting that consumers would find it challenging to pay an extra $500 for a computer with just a logo.

2011: Remarks at Web 2.0 Summit about Windows Phone and Android

During the 2011 Web 2.0 Summit in San Francisco, Steve Ballmer stated that a computer science background wasn't necessary to use a Windows Phone, unlike an Android phone, and expressed a lack of excitement for Android phones.

June 19, 2012: Microsoft Surface Tablet Revealed

On June 19, 2012, Steve Ballmer revealed Microsoft's first ever computer device, the Microsoft Surface tablet.

Microsoft Surface Pro 2-in-1 Laptop/Tablet (2024), Windows 11 Copilot+ PC, 13" Touchscreen OLED Display, Snapdragon X Elite (12 Core), 16GB RAM, 256GB Storage, Black, Amazon Exclusive

Check it on Amazon

2012: Shift Away from PC-First Heritage

In 2012, Steve Ballmer oversaw a shift away from Microsoft's PC-first heritage, leading to a product lineup considered the best in the company's history.

August 23, 2013: Announcement of Ballmer's Retirement

On August 23, 2013, Microsoft announced that Steve Ballmer would retire within the next 12 months.

September 2013: Acquisition of Nokia's Mobile Phone Division

In September 2013, Steve Ballmer announced Microsoft's purchase of Nokia's mobile phone division.

September 2013: Last company meeting

In September 2013, Steve Ballmer hosted his last company meeting at Microsoft.

2013: Regret over lack of focus on Windows Mobile

In 2013, Steve Ballmer expressed regret over the lack of focus on Windows Mobile in the early 2000s, acknowledging Microsoft's distant third position in the smartphone market. He also attributed the success of iPhones to carrier subsidies.

2013: Called Google a "monopoly"

In 2013, Steve Ballmer referred to Google as a "monopoly" and suggested it should face pressure from market competition authorities.

February 4, 2014: Ballmer Retires as CEO of Microsoft

On February 4, 2014, Steve Ballmer retired as CEO of Microsoft and was replaced by Satya Nadella.

August 2014: Stepped down from Microsoft's board of directors

In August 2014, Steve Ballmer stepped down from Microsoft's board of directors.

August 19, 2014: Ballmer Leaves Microsoft's Board of Directors

On August 19, 2014, Steve Ballmer left Microsoft's board of directors.

November 12, 2014: $50 Million Donation to University of Oregon

On November 12, 2014, Steve Ballmer and his wife Connie donated $50 million to the University of Oregon to support scholarships, public health research, and branding efforts.

November 13, 2014: Estimated $60 Million Gift to Harvard University's Computer Science Department

On November 13, 2014, it was announced that Steve Ballmer would donate a gift, estimated at $60 million, to Harvard University's computer science department to hire new faculty and increase the program's national stature.

2015: Co-founded Ballmer Group

In 2015, Steve Ballmer and his wife co-founded Ballmer Group, a philanthropic investment company focused on helping children from poor families achieve economic mobility.

2015: Called Microsoft's investment in Apple the "craziest thing"

In 2015, when Apple had become the world's most valuable company, Steve Ballmer called Microsoft's 1997 decision to invest in Apple to save it from bankruptcy as the "craziest thing we ever did".

March 2016: Changed stance on Linux

In March 2016, Steve Ballmer changed his stance on Linux, expressing support for his successor Satya Nadella's open source commitments.

2016: Revisited iPhone statements

In 2016, Steve Ballmer revisited his earlier statements about the iPhone, explaining that his initial concern was the high price of $600–$700, and he didn't anticipate that carriers would incorporate the cost into monthly bills.

2017: Launched USAFacts.org

In 2017, Steve Ballmer launched USAFacts.org, a not-for-profit organization aimed at enabling people to understand U.S. government revenue, spending, and societal impact. He contributed $10 million to fund research teams.