I just saw that Genevieve W. Gore, co-founder of W.L. Gore & Associates, died 2005 January 20 at 91. Gore and her husband, Bill, created the company that bore his name. It is now a billion dollar company that ranks #2 on the Top 100 Companies To Work For list.
It is a blow to the company, and to her son who now runs it. But I think that she and Bill have done such an exemplary job at creating a complex corporate culture that the company will long live after her death.
She really created something wonderful over the past 45 years.
Active in the company until her death, Mrs. Gore continued to be a presence at the company’s offices, serve on the board of directors and, as its most tenured associate, delight Gore associates by officiating at events honoring the milestones and accomplishments of those who followed her inspiration. She embodied the values at the heart of the company’s unique culture, most notably the belief in the inherent potential of every individual. Her enthusiasm, warmth and genuine interest in others spawned a legion of devoted followers and friends.