Bruce Bastian
American computer scientist (1948–2024)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Bruce Wayne Bastian (March 23, 1948 – June 16, 2024) was an American computer programmer, businessperson, and philanthropist.[1] He co-founded WordPerfect (originally known as Satellite Software International) with Alan Ashton in 1978.
March 23, 1948
- Computer programmer
- businessperson
Bruce Bastian | |
|---|---|
Bastian in 2011 | |
| Born | Bruce Wayne Bastian March 23, 1948 Twin Falls, Idaho, U.S. |
| Died | June 16, 2024 (aged 76) Palm Springs, California, U.S. |
| Alma mater | Brigham Young University |
| Occupations |
|
| Known for | Co-founding WordPerfect |
| Spouse(s) |
Melanie Laycock
(m. 1976; div. 1993)Clint Ford (m. 2018) |
| Children | 4 |
Early life and education
Bastian was born on March 23, 1948, in Twin Falls, Idaho.[2][3][4] He was raised as a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints,[5] and he was a missionary in Italy.[2] He earned a Bachelor of Arts in Music and a Master's degree in Computer Science from Brigham Young University (BYU) in Provo, Utah.[2] As an undergraduate, he served as the director of the BYU Cougar Marching Band and developed a software program to help choreograph marching band performances together with Alan Ashton.[2]
Career
Bastian began working for the Eyring Research Institute (ERI) at BYU, and he was soon joined by Ashton to work on a word processor for the city of Orem, Utah.[6] The two worked on a Data General computer.[6] Their collaborative work later became the company known as WordPerfect,[6] founded in 1979.[7] In 1982, they released WordPerfect 2.2 for the IBM Personal Computer.[6] Bastian was the chairman of the board until 1994.[7] When Novell bought WordPerfect Corp. in 1994, Ashton and Bastian each received almost $700 million in Novell stock.[8]
Philanthropy
Bastian established the B.W. Bastian Foundation in 1997.[7]
A philanthropist, Bastian supported the LGBT community and the performing arts in Utah.[1] He was a donor to Encircle, the Utah Pride Center, and Equality Utah, whose executive director noted, "No individual has had a greater impact on the lives of LGBTQ Utahns."[1] In 2003, he donated more than $1 million to the Human Rights Campaign.[5] He served on their board for the next 22 years.[9]
Bastian also provided financial assistance to the Plan-B Theatre Company, the Utah Symphony and Utah Opera, and Ballet West.[1] At the University of Utah, he donated $1.7 million for the renovation of Kingsbury Hall in 1997 and $1.3 million for the purchase of 55 Steinway pianos in 2000.[10] He also supported the LGBT Resource Center on campus.[10]
In 2010, President Barack Obama appointed Bastian to the Presidential Advisory Committee of the Arts in honor of Bastian's long-term commitment to the arts.[11]
