Connie Snyder is a humanitarian and philanthropist who is mostly known for being the wife of the eighth-richest person on Earth, former CEO of Microsoft, and owner of the NBA team Los Angeles Clippers, Steve Ballmer.
The couple met while working together at Microsoft and dated for a long time before finally tying the knot in 1990. They have been inseparable ever since.
The mother of three is an alumna of the University of Oregon and formerly served on the institution’s board of trustees.
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Taking about her husband, Steve, left his MBA program at Stanford after Bill Gates hired him at Microsoft in 1980, became president in 1998, and replaced presiding CEO Gates on January 13, 2000.
He served the position for 14 years, stepped down in 2014, and bought the NBA’s Los Angeles Clippers for $2 billion.
Quick Facts
| Full Name | Connie E. Snyder |
| Known As | Connie Snyder |
| Birthdate | September 1, 1962 |
| Age | 61 Years Old |
| Birthplace | Bellevue, Washington, United States |
| Current Residence | Hunts Point, Washington, United States |
| Father’s Name | Not Known |
| Mother’s Name | Not Known |
| Siblings | Not Known |
| Nationality | American |
| Marital Status | Married |
| Spouse | Steve Ballmer (m. 1990-Present) |
| Children | Sam Ballmer, Peter Ballmer and Aaron Ballmer |
| Built | Athletic |
| Sexual Orientation | Straight |
| Eye Color | Brown |
| Hair Color | Blonde |
| Height | 5 ft 5 in/168 cm/1.68 m |
| Weight | 60 Kg/132 lbs |
| Ethnicity | White Caucasian |
| Zodiac Sign | Virgo |
| Religion | Not Known |
| Profession | Philanthropist |
| Net Worth Steve Ballmer | $83 Billion |
| Social Media (Steve Ballmer) | |
| Last Update | April 2024 |
Early Life & Education
Connie Snyder was born Connie E. Snyder on September 1, 1962, in Bellevue, Washington, United States, to her engineer father and teacher mother.
She grew up in Oregon and attended Oregon City High School.
After high school graduation, she went to the University of Oregon and graduated in 1984 with a bachelor’s degree in journalism.
Career
After graduating from Oregon, Connie went on to work in the technology sector. She also worked for Microsoft in the 1980s.
In recent years, she has focused on philanthropic endeavors alongside her billionaire husband, Steve Ballmer.
Together they co-founded the Ballmer Group, which works to address issues such as inequality, poverty, and lack of access to healthcare and education with a particular focus on venerable families and children.
Working to make a positive impact on the world around her, Connie serves on the board of numerous non-profit organizations, including the Los Angeles County Museum of Arts and the Los Angeles Clippers Foundation.
Similarly, she is a member of the Leadership Council for the United Way of Greater Los Angeles.
In 2019, she received University of Oregon’s Pioneer Award and was enshrined in the School of Journalism’s Hall of Achievement.
Philanthropy
As mentioned before, Connie and her husband, Steve, serve on the board of several non-profits. They also regularly donate tens of millions of dollars to charitable initiatives.
On November 13, 2014, the couple announced they would gift an estimated $60 million to Harvard University’s computer science department.
Similarly, on November 14, 2014, the University of Oregon announced a $50 million gift from the Clippers owner and his wife, Connie Snyder Ballmer, an alumna.
She also previously served on the institution’s board of trustees.
On July 29, 2021, Connie made the second-largest donation of $1 million to Newsome’s campaign.
In March 2020, Steve and his spouse Connie made a $25 million donation through the Ballmer Group for COVID-19 relief efforts in Los Angeles, Seattle, and Eastern Michigan.
They also made a $425 million donation to launch the Ballmer Institute for Children’s Behavioral Health at the University of Oregon in March 2022.
Steve Ballmer, The LA Clippers Owner
Steve Ballmer, the eighth richest person on Earth, was born on March 24, 1956, in Detroit, Michigan, United States, to Beatrice Dvorkin and Frederic Henry Ballmer.
He attended engineering classes and college prep at Lawrence Technological University in 1973.
After finishing his college education, he briefly tried to write screenplays in Hollywood. Meanwhile, he also began attending the Stanford Graduate School of Business for his MBA.
However, in 1980, he dropped out and joined Microsoft on June 11, 1980, and became Microsoft’s 30th employee and the first business manager hired by Bill Gates.
He was named the CEO of Microsoft on January 13, 2000. And after serving in the position for 14 years, he stepped down in 2014.
Clippers Acquisition
After the former owner Donald Sterling’s scandal in May 2014, Steve Ballmer was the highest bidder to purchase the Los Angeles Clippers for the price of $2 billion.
Ballmer’s bid was the second-highest bid for a sports franchise in North American history after the $2.15 billion sale of the Dodgers in 2012.
On August 12, 2014, it was announced that Ballmer would become the owner of the Clippers.
The Clippers, which currently is the home for some of the well-known NBA players such as Kawhi Leonard, Paul George, and Russell Westbrook, is worth $3.73 billion as of 2024.
Further
Shortly after acquiring the Clippers, Steve said he would bar the team from using Apple products and replace them with Microsoft products, the same thing he did to his family member, including his wife, Connie.
In 2020, Steve purchased the entertainment complex The Forum from Madison Square Garden Company for $400 million in cash.
With this purchase, he cleared himself from legal battles with MSG, headed by fellow NBA team owner James Dolan.
The feud with MSG had threatened Steve from constructing a new arena near the Inglewood venue.
The Clippers officially broke ground on Intuit Dome in September 2021. It is a $1.2 billion arena that is under construction at the intersection of Century Boulevard and Prairie Avenue.
It will have a seating capacity of 18,000, and the construction is set to be completed in the summer of 2024.
Interesting Fact: In a survey conducted by The Athletic in December 2020, Steve was voted the best owner in basketball.
When Did Steve & Connie Meet?
Connie Snyder met Steve Baller while she had a brief stint at Microsoft in the 80s. They dated for a long time before getting married in 1990.
The couple shares three sons; Aaron Ballmer, Sam Ballmer, and Pete Ballmer. All three siblings attended Lakeside School, where Connie is a trustee.
Aaron, the youngest son of Connie Snyder Ballmer, is a software consultant.
After high school, he attended the University of Michigan and graduated with a Bachelor of Computer Science.
Connie’s second son Peter graduated from Harvard, and the oldest son, Sam, graduated from the University of Southern California. Sam got married to Bryanna Leigh in May 2021.
Peter currently works in the tech world as a senior product manager at Zynga. Also, he has a knack for comedy and often uploads stand-up videos and podcast snippets on his social media.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQS)
How did Steve Ballmer get so rich?
The majority of Ballmer's fortune is derived from a stake in Microsoft, the world's biggest software maker.
Who is the richest owner of the NBA?
The richest owner of the NBA is also one of the richest person in the world Steve Ballmer.
