Early Life and Education
David Arthur Duffield was born on September 21, 1940, in Cleveland, Ohio, and raised in Ho-Ho-Kus, New Jersey. He graduated from Ridgewood High School and then attended Cornell University, earning a Bachelor of Science degree in electrical engineering in 1962 and a Master of Business Administration in 1964. At Cornell, he was a member of Beta Theta Pi.
Rise to Success
Duffield began his career at IBM as a marketing representative and systems engineer. In 1968, he left IBM to found Information Associates, which developed software for university exam scheduling. Later, he founded Integral Systems, a human resources management systems vendor. In 1979, Duffield started Business Software Corporation, providing real-time human resources and payroll applications. However, his most significant achievements came with PeopleSoft, founded in 1987, which became the world's second-largest application software company before being acquired by Oracle in 2005. In 2005, Duffield co-founded Workday, Inc., which provides cloud-based human capital management and financial management software.
Key Business Strategies
Duffield's business strategy has consistently focused on developing user-friendly, relational database-driven systems. He emphasized creating a positive work environment. His ability to identify market needs and deliver innovative software solutions has been pivotal to his success. PeopleSoft's client-server HRMS application suite was a groundbreaking innovation. His subsequent ventures, particularly Workday, capitalized on the shift towards cloud-based solutions, further solidifying his position in the industry.
Philanthropy
Duffield is known for his extensive philanthropic work. In 1994, he and his wife, Cheryl, established Maddie's Fund, an animal welfare organization named after their miniature schnauzer. The Dave & Cheryl Duffield Foundation supports companion animal welfare, higher education and veteran initiatives. He has donated hundreds of millions of dollars to Cornell University, and as a result, the university renamed its College of Engineering as the Cornell David A. Duffield College of Engineering in recognition of his contributions.