Tocqueville Society National Awards

United Way Tocqueville Society is proud to recognize The Gates Family with the 2007 National United Way Tocqueville Society Award® for their leadership and exemplary service to their local community, the nation, and the world.

For more than 40 years, the Gates family has had a deep-rooted commitment to giving back -- both time and money. The late Mary Gates served on United Way of King County’s Board of Directors starting in the 1960’s, becoming board chair in 1973. Mary would bring her young son, William Gates III, to many of those meetings.

Together with Mary and after her death in 1993, Bill Gates Sr. has quietly affirmed the family’s core values. Through gifts of time and financial resources, Bill Sr. and Mary taught their three children that civic engagement, volunteerism and generosity are integral to a successful life. Bill Sr. lives his life consistent with the family’s values. He stepped down in 2006 after decades of service to United Way of King County. He and his wife, Mimi Gardner Gates, are long-time members of the United Way Tocqueville Society. Among Bill’s many contributions are his roles as co-founder of the Initiative for Global Development and his service as co-chair, together with his son and daughter-in-law, of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

The Gates family has inspired countless people throughout the world to engage in service to those less fortunate. Like their parents, the Gates daughters, Kristi Blake and Libby Armintrout, are committed volunteers in their local communities. Bill Gates III and his wife Melinda are working through their foundation toward a vision of the world where everyone, no matter the circumstances of birth, has the opportunity to live a healthy, productive life.

Bill Gates III has also been a leader in integrating the values of sharing and caring through his work at Microsoft, which he co-founded with Paul Allen in 1975. In 1983, Bill created Microsoft Community Affairs, one of the first community investment programs in the hi-tech industry. Today, Microsoft employees give more per person to the United Way than any other corporation. Last year, Microsoft donated more than $68 million in cash and $331 million in software to nonprofit organizations throughout the world. Bill has shared with the entire Microsoft Corporation the passion and culture of caring that his parents instilled in him. Together with Melinda, he continues to inspire others by strengthening communities on a global scale.

The Gates family’s philanthropic spirit is clear. The effects of their gifts of time and treasure can be seen locally, nationally and internationally. The family provides invaluable philanthropic leadership and expertise to achieve tangible results to deep-rooted societal problems. Together with many partners around the world, the Gates family is focused on the building blocks for a better life: education, income and health.

The United Way is honored to continue in partnership with the Gates family and congratulates them on their outstanding philanthropic achievements.

The Fleur-de-Lis Awards for Excellence
The Fleur-de-Lis Awards for Excellence are presented each year at a special recognition event (link to Tocqueville Society Events page) to local Tocqueville Societies that excel in the following categories:

•  Most Tocqueville dollars for community impact
• Growth of Tocqueville dollars for community impact over previous year
• Percentage of renewed Tocqueville gifts that increased by 10% over previous year
• Most Tocqueville members • Most New Million Dollar Roundtable gift commitments
• Most National Society members
• Net change in total members
• Number of new Tocqueville Legacy Circle commitments
• Most women Tocqueville donors

United Way of America congratulates the local Tocqueville Society winners of the 2008 Fleur-de-Lis Awards for Excellence
Overall Excellence Award
Boston, MA
United Way of Massachusetts Bay and Merrimack Valley

National Awards
Atlanta, Georgia
United Way of Metropolitan Atlanta

Birmingham, AL
United Way of Central Alabama

Boston, MA
United Way of Massachusetts Bay and Merrimack Valley

Henderson County, NC
United Way of Henderson County

Houston, TX
United Way of Henderson County

Louisville, KY
Metro United Way

Seattle, WA
United Way of King County

Special Recognition Award
Deloitte
Most United Way Tocqueville Society Members in a Single Organization, Nationwide 2003- 2007 

Population Awards

Albuquerque, New Mexico
United Way of Central New Mexico
(500k to 1M population)

Atlanta, Georgia
United Way of Metropolitan Atlanta
(Over 2M population)

Birmingham, AL
United Way of Central Alabama
(1M to 2M population)

Boston, MA
United Way of Massachusetts and Merrimack Valley
(Over 2M population)

Charlotte, North Carolina
United Way of Central Carolinas, Inc.
(1M to 2M population)

Chattanooga, TN
United Way of Greater Chattanooga
(1M to 2M population)

Cincinnati, Ohio
United Way of Greater Cincinnati
(1M to 2M population)

Cleveland, Tennessee
United Way of Bradley County
(Under 100k population)

Dallas, Texas
United Way of Metropolitan Dallas
(over 2M population)

Des Moines, Iowa
United Way of Central Iowa
(200k to 500k population)

Fresno, California
United Way of Fresno County
(500k to 1M population)

Greensboro, North Carolina
United Way of Greater Greensboro
(200k to 500k population)

Greenwich, Connecticut
United Way of Greenwich
(Under 100k population)

Henderson County, NC
United Way of Henderson County
(Under 100K population)

Houston, Texas
United Way of Greater Houston
(Over 2M population)

Knoxville, Tennessee
United Way of Greater Knoxville
(200k to 500k population)

Louisville, Kentucky
Metro United Way
(1M to 2M population)

Martinsburg, West Virginia
United Way of Eastern Panhandle
(100K to 200K population)

Midland, Texas
United Way of Midland, Inc.
(100k to 200k population)

Omaha, Nebraska
United Way of the Midlands
(500k to 1M population)

Palm Beach, Florida
Palm Beach Community Chest/United Way, Inc.
(Under 100k population)

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
United Way of Allegheny County
(1M to 2M population)

Santa Fe, New Mexico
United Way of Santa Fe County
(100K to 200K population)

Sarasota, Florida
United Way of Sarasota County
(500K to 1M population)

Seattle, Washington
United Way of King County
(1M to 2M population)

Sioux Falls, South Dakota
Sioux Empire United Way, Inc.
(Under 100K population)

Vero Beach, Florida
United Way of Indian River County
(100k to 200k population)

Westchester and Putnam, New York
United Way of Westchester and Putnam
(1M to 2M population)

Winston-Salem, North Carolina
United Way of Forsyth County
(200k to 500K population)