Scott Cook
Scott Cook | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1952 |
| Nationality | American |
| Alma mater | University of Southern California, Harvard Business School |
| Occupation(s) | Entrepreneur, businessman |
| Years active | 1983–present |
| Known for | Co-founder of Intuit |
| Notable work | Quicken (financial software) |
| Spouse | Signe Ostby |
| Children | 3, including Karl Cook |
Scott David Cook (born 1952) is an American billionaire entrepreneur and the co-founder of Intuit. He holds board positions at both eBay and Procter & Gamble.
Early life
Cook obtained his undergraduate degree in economics and mathematics from the University of Southern California. He later earned an MBA from Harvard Business School, where he currently contributes as a member of the dean's advisory board.
Career
Cook’s professional journey started at Procter & Gamble in Cincinnati, Ohio, where he developed skills in product development, marketing, and market research. Subsequently, he joined Bain & Company in Menlo Park, California as a strategic consultant. Motivated by his wife’s difficulties managing bill payments and recognizing the potential of personal computing, Cook co-founded Intuit in 1983, introducing the financial software Quicken. Today, Intuit offers various software and online tools designed to assist individuals and small businesses with financial management.
He held the roles of president and CEO of Intuit from April 1983 until April 1994, and served as chairman from February 1993 through July 1998.
In 2002, together with his wife Signe Ostby, Cook established the Center for Brand and Product Management at the University of Wisconsin–Madison School of Business. This was the first academic center dedicated solely to MBA education in brand and product management. Both founders began their careers in brand management and remain active supporters of the Center.
By 2005, Cook was ranked number 320 on the Forbes 400 list, with an estimated net worth of $1.1 billion. Since the 1990s, he has increased his political contributions to both major U.S. parties, backing prominent figures such as Mitt Romney and Harry Reid.
Personal life
Cook is married to Signe Ostby, who previously worked at Procter & Gamble and Clorox before founding Software Publishing Corporation, a company specializing in productivity software. The couple has three children, including show jumper Karl Cook, and they live in Woodside, California.
Together, Scott and Signe co-founded the Valhalla family foundation, valued at $348 million, where they serve as trustees. The foundation supports initiatives in early childhood development, K–12 education, medical research, environmental innovation, data literacy, and collaborative philanthropy.
The Cook family also owns a ranch that raises livestock for local dining establishments and is involved in breeding, raising, selling, and training show jumping horses with European lineage.
External links
- Inc. profile on 25 Most Fascinating Entrepreneurs
- The Contribution Revolution—wiki companion to Cook's Harvard Business Review article titled the same
- Articles with short description
- Articles with hCards
- No local image but image on Wikidata
- 1952 births
- Living people
- University of Southern California alumni
- Harvard Business School alumni
- Procter & Gamble people
- Intuit people
- Place of birth missing (living people)
- American technology company founders
- American billionaires
- American corporate directors
- People from Woodside, California
- 21st-century American philanthropists