We start a new discussion in this episode. Our conversation with “The” William A. Adams begins with a background that shows he was made for a career in software. He makes the most of the hand he was dealt and has an incredible resume with experiences to match. By the way, William also happens to be a black man in a predominately white world of IT. However, more on that in later episodes.
A Career In Software Was An Obvious Choice
As we look at the stories and activities of his childhood, this man was born to be in IT. These are stories that might feel familiar even and relatable. Thus, his story is motivational and shows that effort and hard work can pay off. Fortunately, he now uses that success to find others that can follow in his footsteps or even go beyond his lofty heights.
A Little Background
William A. Adam is an award-winning D&I innovator, engineering trailblazer, and philanthropist. After rolling out critical XML code globally in many of Microsoft’s core products, he was named the first Technical Advisor to the CTO, Kevin Scott.
Plenty Of Accolades
As co-founder of the LEAP apprenticeship program – named Microsoft’s D&I Program of the Year in 2020 – William helped launch the training of more than 26 engineering cohorts worldwide. Today, 98% of LEAP participants work at Microsoft or other high-tech companies. His most recent collaboration is with the leadership of the U.S. Virgin Islands to establish and train a technical talent pool and build critical technology infrastructure.
Early in his 30-year career in software engineering, he was one of the first Black entrepreneurs in Silicon Valley and was recently profiled by the Computer History Museum. Through his company, Adamation, William developed mission-critical custom enterprise apps for Steve Jobs’ NeXT computers and pioneered a network instant messaging service purchased by the CIA. He’s been awarded two patents.
Where Is He Now?
Today, in addition to his role at Microsoft, William is the philanthropic founder of The EV3NT, a collaborative, community-based hackathon designed to use technology to address critical real-world needs. William is busy as a husband and father of three when he’s not tinkering with bits and bytes. He builds kitchen cabinets, knits, and tries to recapture the exhilaration of riding a motorcycle in India.
His Web Site: https://www.william-a-adams.com
