Steve Case

Steve Case
Name	Steve Case
Caption	Case in 2010
Birth date	21 August 1958
Birth place	Honolulu, Hawaii, U.S.
Education	Williams College (BA)
Occupation	Businessman, investor, philanthropist
Known for	Co-founder of AOL, Chairman of Revolution LLC
Spouse	Joanne Barker, 1985, 1997, Jean Case, 1998

Steve Case is an American entrepreneur, investor, and philanthropist best known as the co-founder and former chief executive officer of the pioneering internet service AOL. Under his leadership, AOL popularized online connectivity for millions, culminating in its historic merger with media conglomerate Time Warner in 2000. Following his tenure at AOL, Case founded the investment firm Revolution LLC and has become a prominent advocate for entrepreneurship outside traditional tech hubs through initiatives like the Rise of the Rest.

Early life and education

Steve Case was born in Honolulu, Hawaii, and grew up there alongside his older brother, future venture capitalist Dan Case. He developed an early interest in entrepreneurship, launching small ventures like a neighborhood juice stand. For his secondary education, he attended the prestigious Punahou School, the same institution that later educated Barack Obama. Case then moved to the mainland to attend Williams College in Williamstown, Massachusetts, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in political science. During his college years, he worked for PepsiCo and wrote a marketing paper on the future of videotex technology, foreshadowing his later career in interactive services.

Career

After graduating, Case worked in marketing for Procter & Gamble and later for the Pizza Hut division of PepsiCo. In 1985, he joined the fledgling company Control Video Corporation, which was later renamed Quantum Computer Services. At Quantum, Case helped develop early online services for platforms like the Commodore 64 and worked with partners including Apple Inc. and Tandy Corporation. In 1991, the company was rebranded as America Online (AOL), with Case serving as its chief executive officer. He spearheaded a relentless mass-marketing campaign, distributing AOL software disks widely, which helped the service achieve explosive growth and become the dominant internet service provider of the 1990s, navigating competition from rivals like CompuServe and Prodigy.

AOL and Time Warner merger

In January 2000, at the height of the dot-com bubble, Case orchestrated the landmark merger of AOL with the traditional media giant Time Warner, creating AOL Time Warner. Valued at approximately $165 billion, it was then the largest corporate merger in history. Case became chairman of the new conglomerate, which combined AOL's digital assets with Time Warner's vast holdings, including CNN, HBO, Warner Bros., and *Time* magazine. The merger was intended to create a synergistic media powerhouse but ultimately faltered due to cultural clashes, the bursting of the dot-com bubble, and the rapid decline of AOL's dial-up business. Case stepped down as chairman in 2003, and the merger is widely considered one of the most unsuccessful in corporate history.

Post-AOL ventures and investments

After leaving AOL, Case founded Revolution LLC, a Washington, D.C.-based investment firm focused on building transformative companies. Through Revolution, he has invested in and co-founded numerous businesses across sectors such as healthcare, financial services, and consumer technology, including Zipcar, Sweetgreen, and LendingClub. A central focus of his work has been the "Rise of the Rest" initiative, which includes a seed fund and bus tours aimed at catalyzing startup ecosystems in cities across the United States beyond traditional centers like Silicon Valley and New York City. He also serves on the board of directors for companies like Uncle Ben's parent Mars, Incorporated and is a co-owner of the Washington Commanders of the National Football League.

Philanthropy and public service

Case and his wife, Jean Case, are active philanthropists through the Case Foundation, which they established in 1997. The foundation focuses on leveraging technology and entrepreneurship to address social challenges, with initiatives in areas like inclusive entrepreneurship, civic engagement, and impact investing. He has also served in various public service roles, including as a member of President Barack Obama's Council on Jobs and Competitiveness and as chairman of the STARTUP AMERICA initiative. Additionally, Case is a co-founder of the Presidential Ambassadors for Global Entrepreneurship (PAGE) program and sits on the board of the Smithsonian Institution's National Museum of American History.

Personal life

Case was first married to Joanne Barker, a former AOL colleague, from 1985 until their divorce in 1997. In 1998, he married Jean Case, a former executive at AOL who later became CEO of the Case Foundation. The couple resides in McLean, Virginia, and has five children. An avid motorcyclist, Case has participated in long-distance rides across the country to visit startups. He is also known for his interest in winemaking and owns a vineyard in Barboursville, Virginia. His older brother, Dan Case, was a prominent investment banker and the CEO of Hambrecht & Quist before his death from brain cancer in 2002.

Category:American businesspeople Category:American technology company founders Category:1958 births Category:Living people