Ocean Pacific polo shirt, 1980s-1990s

Richard "Ric" Weiland (1953-2006) was a software developer, programmer, philanthropist, and active member of the Northwest gay community. This shirt was part of his personal collection which was donated to the museum in 2007. Weiland was the first full-time employee hired by Bill Gates and Paul Allen in 1975 at the newly founded Microsoft company. The three were high school classmates at Lakeside School and members of the Lakeside Programming Group. Weiland retired from Microsoft in 1988 at the age of 35. As the value of his stock holdings grew, he increasingly devoted himself to philanthropy, donating nearly $200 million to support HIV research, LGBTQ legal rights, and the presence of gay-straight alliances and anti-bullying policies in schools.
ID Number: 2007.9.19
Date: Circa 1980-1990
Creator(s): Ocean Pacific, Manufacturer
Physical Description: 1 Shirt, Polo; cotton; 27 in.H x 16 in.W
Credit: MOHAI, 2007.9.19