NFF Gold Medal Recipients
Biography
A leader in the business world and on the football field, William V. Campbell continues to excel in every facet of his long and distinguished career.
In August 1998, Campbell assumed his current role as chairman of the board of directors of Intuit, Inc., a multibillion dollar financial software company located in Mountain View, California. From 1994 to 1998, Mr. Campbell served as the president and chief executive officer of Intuit. Mr. Campbell additionally served as CEO of the company from September 1999 until January 2000.
During his tenure at Intuit, the company's market value grew from approximately $700 million to nearly $3.0 billion as the company solidified its position as the clear leader in tax, personal finance and small business accounting software. During that time, the company also invented a whole new class of Web-based finance businesses delivered through Quicken.com, Intuit's Web site.
For the three years prior to joining Intuit, Mr. Campbell was the president and chief executive officer of GO Corporation, a pen-based computing software company. Prior to that, Mr. Campbell founded and served as president and CEO of Claris Corporation, which was purchased by Apple Computer Inc. in 1990. Before starting Claris, he was Apple's executive vice president, group executive of the United States. Mr. Campbell joined Apple Computer in July 1983 as vice president of marketing. He added the title of vice president of sales in January 1984, and in September 1984, his duties were expanded to include distribution, service and support when he was promoted to executive vice president. In June 1985, he was named group executive of the United States. Mr. Campbell came to Apple from Eastman Kodak Company, where his last assignment was general manager of Consumer Products for Kodak Europe. Prior to joining Kodak, he was vice president of J. Walter Thompson, a New York based advertising agency.
Before entering the industry, Mr. Campbell was the head football coach at Columbia University for six years and he was recently appointed to the university's Board of Trustees.
A standout linebacker for the Lions, Campbell was captain of the 1961 team that won a share of the Ivy League Championship with Harvard - the program's only first place finish. In a 1974 interview, his coach, Buff Donelli, described him as "the best captain I ever had. He's a person who made more of an imprint on people who know him than anyone I've ever known."
Recently, Columbia awarded Campbell the Alexander Hamilton Medal before a spirited gathering of more than 400 alumni, faculty, students and administrators. In presenting the college's highest honor, Columbia President George Rupp remarked that he had "never seen an equivalent amount of sheer enthusiasm" at a Hamilton Dinner. Rupp praised Campbell as "a powerful influence on our students" and added, "We hail Bill tonight as a true winner."
Campbell has made many contributions to Columbia ranging from the renovation of the Aldo T. "Buff" Donelli Intercollegiate Strength Room in the Dodge Physical Fitness Center to the endowment of the Roberta and William Campbell Professorship in Contemporary Civilization. Campbell has also become one of the chief advocates for The National Football Foundation's Play It Smart program, which helps at-risks student-athletes.
Presently, Campbell a director of the National Football Foundation and Hall of Fame. In August 1997, he was appointed to the board of directors at Apple Computer Inc. He also serves on the board of Opsware, Inc. (formerly Loudcloud). Mr. Campbell holds a Bachelors degree in economics and a Masters degree from Columbia University.
