Gmail creator and Case Western Reserve University alumnus Paul Buchheit (CWR ’98; GRS ’98, computer engineering) will speak to 1,750 students who grew up using the technology he created when he delivers the 2012 commencement address May 20 in Veale Convocation Center.
Buchheit, a partner at the venture capital firm Y Combinator, was one of the first engineers at Google, where he suggested the company’s famous “Don’t be evil” motto and created the first AdSense prototype.
After graduating from Case Western Reserve, Buchheit spent a year at Intel Corp. before becoming Google’s 23rd employee in 1999. His free email service Gmail launched in 2004 and now boasts more than 350 million registered users.
He retired from Google in 2006 and founded FriendFeed the following year. The service allows users to share information such as links, photos and messages online and was acquired by Facebook in 2009.
Buchheit joined Y Combinator in 2010. Founded in 2005, the firm provides funding, advice and networking opportunities to promising startups.
Graduates must register online to attend the commencement ceremonies. Register March 1–April 1 at case.edu/commencement.
For more information about commencement activities, visit case.edu/commencement.