Bill Gates Vision 2030. In 2009, Gates and Warren Buffett founded The Giving Pledge, whereby they and other billionaires pledge to give at least half of their wealth to philanthropy. Gates studied the work of Andrew Carnegie and John D. Rockefeller, and donated some of his Microsoft stock in 1994 to create the "William H. Gates Foundation." In 2000, Gates and his wife combined three family foundations and Gates donated stock valued at $5 billion to create the charitable Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, which was identified by the Funds for NGOs company in 2013, as the world's wealthiest charitable foundation, with
USS Thomas S. Gates Anne Gates, widow of the ship's namesake. "Thomas S. Gates" was launched 14 December 1985, purchased 22 June 1987, and was commissioned 22 August 1987, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, with Captain Robert Sutton in command. "Thomas S. Gates"' maiden deployment was from 31 May 1989 to 10 November 1989. After transiting to the Mediterranean Sea as part of the battle group formed around the aircraft carrier , "Thomas S. Gates" in-chopped to the Sixth Fleet on 10 June 1989; she participated in Operation National Week (10–19 June 1989), conducting turnover with the guided missile cruiser at Augusta Bay, Sicily (15 June).