He started Microsoft from nothing.
He took a risk on starting his own business.
He put his intelligence and his talents with computers to good use.
He worked hard to get Microsoft off the ground.
He invented an operating system that was better than anything else around at the time, and then once it became the industry standard he made sure the folks at Microsoft kept improving it.
He expanded on the success with Windows and developed other software applications that are useful and user-friendly (like Word, PowerPoint, Excel, Outlook, Publisher, etc.)
He has provided thousands of people with jobs.
He gives huge amounts of money to charity every year.