From Microsoft to Obama Administration and Back

UA Alumni Association
Oct. 16, 2015

Kurt DelBene graduated from the University of Arizona with a bachelor's degree in industrial engineering in 1982. After earning graduate degrees from Stanford University and the University of Chicago while working at AT&T Bell Laboratories and McKinsey & Co., DelBene joined Microsoft in 1992.

In 21 years with the company, DelBene advanced through leadership positions until he was president of the Microsoft Office division — leading the company's largest and most profitable division and responsible for possibly the most used software suite in history. DelBene guided the continued growth and development of the division, including the integration of communication and collaboration capabilities and the transformation of Office into a fast-growing online cloud service.

DelBene left Microsoft in 2013 when he was appointed by President Barack Obama to oversee the repair of the Healthcare.gov website after its challenging start. He was responsible for working with the Obama administration, the Center for Medicaid and Medicare, and government contractors to improve near-term operations and to set a longer-term path for the marketplace's success.

DelBene has since returned to Microsoft to serve as executive vice president of corporate strategy and planning.

For work that has affected the daily lives of countless people around the world, the College of Engineering is honoring DelBene as its 2015 Alumnus of the Year.

The UA Alumni Association will honor all recipients of the 2015 Alumni of the Year Awards during an Oct. 23 event to be held 3-5 p.m. in the Grand Ballroom of the Student Union Memorial Center. For more information, contact the Alumni Association at 520-621-7576.

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