Dave Goldberg

Dave Goldberg was a successful American businessman, best known as the Chief Executive Officer of SurveyMonkey, a position he held from 2009 until his death in 2015. He was also the husband of Facebook Chief Operating Officer Sheryl Sandberg, and together they had two children, Harvard University-educated Robbie Goldberg and University of California, Berkeley-bound Lucas Swartz Goldberg. Goldberg's life was marked by his achievements in the technology industry, including his work at Yahoo!, Musicmatch, and Launch Media. He was also a member of the Board of Directors of Ancestry.com and Zynga.

● Early Life and Education

Goldberg was born in Chicago, Illinois, to a family of Jewish descent, and grew up in Minnesota with his parents, Peggy Goldberg and Mel Goldberg. He attended Minnetonka High School and later enrolled at Harvard University, where he studied Government and graduated magna cum laude in 1989. During his time at Harvard University, Goldberg was a member of the Hasty Pudding Theatricals and developed a strong interest in politics and economics, which would later influence his career in the technology industry. After graduating, Goldberg worked as an investment banker at Goldman Sachs and later attended Stanford Graduate School of Business, where he earned his MBA in 1997.

● Career

Goldberg's career in the technology industry began in the late 1990s, when he joined Launch Media as the company's Chief Executive Officer. He later became the Chief Executive Officer of Musicmatch, a position he held until the company was acquired by Yahoo! in 2004. At Yahoo!, Goldberg served as the Vice President of Music and later became the General Manager of Yahoo! Music. In 2009, Goldberg joined SurveyMonkey as the company's Chief Executive Officer, a position he held until his death in 2015. During his tenure at SurveyMonkey, Goldberg oversaw the company's expansion and growth, including the acquisition of Clicktools and MarketTools. He also served on the Board of Directors of several companies, including Ancestry.com, Zynga, and Groupon.

● Personal Life

Goldberg was married to Sheryl Sandberg, the Chief Operating Officer of Facebook, and together they had two children, Robbie Goldberg and Lucas Swartz Goldberg. The couple met while attending Harvard University and later married in 2004. Goldberg was known for his strong support of his wife's career and was often seen accompanying her to high-profile events, including the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. He was also a strong advocate for women's rights and gender equality, and often spoke publicly about the importance of diversity and inclusion in the technology industry. Goldberg was a close friend of several prominent Silicon Valley executives, including Mark Zuckerberg, Reid Hoffman, and Marc Andreessen.

● Death and Legacy

Goldberg died on May 1, 2015, while on vacation with his family in Napa County, California. His death was met with an outpouring of tributes from the technology industry, with many prominent executives and entrepreneurs paying their respects to his memory. Sheryl Sandberg later wrote a book, Option B: Facing Adversity, Building Resilience, and Finding Joy, which dealt with the grief and loss she experienced after Goldberg's death. The book became a bestseller and helped to establish Sheryl Sandberg as a leading voice on issues related to grief, resilience, and women's empowerment. Goldberg's legacy continues to be felt in the technology industry, where he is remembered as a talented and visionary leader who played a key role in shaping the success of several prominent companies, including SurveyMonkey, Yahoo!, and Facebook. Category:American businesspeople