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About The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (Nov. 2, 1995)
I Gates, Buffett follow Huskers By Paula Lavigne Senior Reporter Bill Gates is a Comhusker fan. In fact, the Microsoft president likes the Huskers so much that when he and Omaha businessman Warren Buffett were in China re cently, he made his senior vice president fax him reports from the games. And his senior vice president, an Ashland native, was happy to do the job. Jeff Raikes, one of Microsoft’s original 75 employees, said he brought Gates, who is the richest man in America, to the Nebraska Washington football game in 1991. Gates came to Raikes’ home in Ashland for a barbecue before the game, Raikes said. “Yeah, Bill’s been out to the farm," Raikes said, laughing. The visitor impressed Raikes’ mother, Alice Raikes. “He’s a genius," she said. “That’s about all I can say." Raikes said Gates also was en thusiastic about his relationship with Buffett, the second richest “Every Saturday afternoon at about 5p.m. FJacific time, F had to send a fax to a contact in China giving Warren (Buffet) and Bill (Gates) a complete rundown of that day's Nebraska football game. ” JEFF RAIKES Microsoft senior vice president man in America. Gates and Buffett were in China on business for three weeks earlier this fall, Raikes said. “Bill gave me an important re sponsibility,” Raikes said. “Every Saturday afternoon at about 5 p.m. Pacific time, I had to send a fax to a contact in China giving Warren and Bill a complete rundown of that day’s Nebraska football game.” Raikes faxed reports from the Arizona State and Pacific games from Seattle, but he faxed reports from the Washington State game from the Huskers’ press box in Memorial Stadium. Gates hired Raikes in 1981, Raikes said. He has worked with Gates throughout Microsoft’s climb to computer domination. “Bill is not in any way focused on being wealthy,’’ Raikes said. “What he cares about is the tech nology and building a successful product.” Although Gates keeps up with college football, Raikes said he has noticed the software giant has another sports interest. “He’s a little bit more of a golfer.” Raikes Continued from Page 1 brother wanted to modernize the farm, so he bought an Apple II computer. “I taught myself how to pro gram it,” Raikes said. Apple computers came to Stanford a month later, Raikes said, with Visicalc — one of the first spreadsheet programs. Raikes was still working with the computers when he saw a com pany called Microsoft at a trade show. They wanted to bring him to Seattle for an interview, he said, and he accepted. “One of my sisters lives in Se attle,” he said. “I wanted to get a free trip.” Raikes was one of Microsoft’s first product marketing employees in the applications division. During his 14 years with the company, he climbed to senior vice president. Along with his work at Microsoft, he’s been pairing up with administrators at Washing ton State University. That’s how he created the “Virtual Univer sity” presentation. His presentation focuses on how technology can improve education by creating four “virtual” areas: • The “virtual textbook,” which uses multimedia programs in the classrooms. • The “virtual lecture,” which puts lectures on video and the in formation superhighway. • The “virtual classroom,” which breaks down physical and geographic barriers for students by bringing the classroom to them with computer and information technology. • The “virtual student union,” which creates a social service for students by weaving technology into campus life. The presentation to the regents is a combined effort between Raikes, NU President L. Dennis Smith and Sen. Bob Kerrey. Technology can overcome limi tations on education, Raikes said, and provide better education for Nebraska students. “The university needs to educate students at low cost and high qual ity,” he said. “With funding being cut, it’s very important that a univer sity recognize these challenges.” History expert lands job as director of NU Press By Stacey Range Staff Reporter With decades of experience in the press business, Daniel Ross is ready to advance to a new level as director of the University of Nebraska Press. Ross took over the position Wednesday. He replaces former di rector Willis Regier, who left the position in April to become director of the Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Md. Ross, who came to the University of Nebraska Press in March 1989, has spent six years as assistant director, six months as interim director and two years as editor in chief. Ross said he planned few changes for the press. “This is one of the leading presses in the country, if not the top, especially in Native American literature,” Ross said. “But I’m a little prejudiced.” As director, Ross is responsible for a press that publishes about 80 new books and 85 paperback reprints each year, with net annual sales of more than $6 million. Priscilla Grew, who oversees the press as vice chancellor for research, appointed Ross to the position. “I am pleased that Dan Ross has accepted this position and 1 am con fident that he will continue the press’s interest in serving both the publisher and the reader,” she said. Grew said there were several rea sons Ross was chosen from a pool of national candidates. Ross received strong support from the search committee for his leader ship background in history, she said, and he showed that leadership by launching several popular new book series on the history of the American West, sports history and Civil War history. By the end of the year, Ross will have brought to contract and publica tion 83 original book projects, 109 paperback reprints in the Bison Book series and the American Indian Quar terly journal. Ross also impressed the commit tee with his strong knowledge of press relations and the role of the press. Grew said. Grant Continued from Page 1 satellite, he said, and team teaching also may be used. Instead of having four or five faculty members in trans portation engineering, each univer sity would have access to 20 faculty members, he said. Satellite television also will allow graduates to telecast their research in a series of seminars, he said. Each university is developing new courses in transportation. For ex ample, Human Factors in Transpor tation will be offered at UNL next semester, he said. Four expert speakers also will of fer lectures each semester. The speak ers will meet with transportation of ficials from the area, he said. The first speaker, Sandra Rosenbloom, met with a representative of the bus system in Omaha. Both sides benefit from the face to-face talks, McCoy said. “You can read reports all you want,” he said. “This makes them aware of things unique to our area and us aware of things we’d be less inclined to read.” Some research projects in the pro gram now are improving the safety of roadsides, preventing the loss of short line railroads, designing less costly bridges and making pavement cheaper and longer lasting, he said. Grant money also will be used to share research and the latest technol ogy with other regions, he said. The next competition for the cen ter will probably be in three years, McCoy said. The Midwest center was the only one to change sites this year, he said. «imrihi I B ■ » I I EVERY 'THURSDAY » igpi ; st Music of the 70s & ‘80sCi|i Draws 8 gp - Midnight ;ip $25 to each male & female * w Weekly Winners :|| ... . 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