David Arthur Duffield (born 21 September 1940) is an American billionaire businessman in the software industry. He is the co-founder and former chairman of PeopleSoft, and co-founder and CEO emeritus of Workday, Inc.. In addition, he is founder and Chairman of Ridgeline, Inc.

Duffield has donated more than $500 million to his alma mater Cornell University, including a series of donations in the 2020s totaling over $400 million. As a result, the university renamed its College of Engineering after him. He has also given $303 million to companion animal welfare causes and organizations, over $100 million to expand other educational institutions close to him and his family, $13 million to local first responders and community organizations, and $2.1 million to veterans affairs. His philanthropic interests are managed by the Dave & Cheryl Duffield Foundation. One of their main projects is the planned Liberty Dogs, a 27-acre service dog training campus in Reno, Nevada, that will match and train disabled military veterans and canine companions. As of 2026, Duffield's net worth is $10.1B.

Early life Duffield was born in Cleveland, Ohio,Johnson, Luanne, and David A. Duffield (January 11, 2001). Oral History of David A. (Dave) Duffield. Interviewed by: Luanne Johnson. Incline Village, Nevada. Computer History Museum. and raised in Ho-Ho-Kus, New Jersey.Stoltz, Marsha A. "Ho-Ho-Kus receives $10M from tech entrepreneur David Duffield for new school gym", The Record, December 20, 2022. Accessed March 29, 2023. "The Board of Education has received a $10 million gift — the largest in its history — from tech entrepreneur and former student David Duffield for construction of a new gymnasium and wellness center, President Mary Ellen Nye announced Monday.... 'I loved my childhood in Ho-Ho-Kus,' Duffield said in a written statement." His mother, Mary Duffield, was an elementary school teacher, and his father, Al Duffield, was an engineer without a college degree. In 1954, he graduated from Ho-Ho-Kus elementary school, where his mother taught and his brother, Al Jr., attended.Stoltz, Marsha A. (September 13, 2024). Ho-Ho-Kus dedicates new gym built with $10 million donation from Class of '54 alumnus. The Record. In 1958, David graduated from Ridgewood High School in nearby Ridgewood, New Jersey, where he was co-captain of the baseball team.Stoltz, Marsha A. "Ridgewood alumnus donates $635,000 for high school STEAM programs", The Record, May 12, 2021. Accessed March 29, 2023. "A $635,000 alumni gift — the largest in the district's history — was announced by the Board of Education on Monday. The donation by 1958 graduate Dave Duffield via the Dave & Cheryl Duffield Foundation was designated for high school STEAM programs."

He attended Cornell University, where he played in a band and was a pitcher on the baseball team. He received a bachelor's degree in electrical engineering and an MBA from Cornell University. He is the benefactor behind Cornell's Duffield Hall, a nanoscale science (or nanotechnology) and engineering facility at Cornell. While at Cornell, Duffield was a member of Beta Theta Pi.

Career In 1964, Duffield began his career as a marketing representative and systems engineer at IBM. He left IBM to found Information Associates, which developed university exam scheduling software. In 1972, he left to start Integral Systems, a human resources management systems vendor for higher education clients, including Stanford.McManis, Sam (November 22, 1998). A Man & His Money / David Duffield, CEO of Bay Area software giant PeopleSoft, has put his fortune behind his dream of a no-kill nation for dogs and cats. San Francisco Chronicle / SF Gate. In 1979, he started another venture, Business Software Corporation, which provided real-time human resources and payroll applications for commercial enterprises. In 1987, Duffield resigned from Integral Systems.

PeopleSoft Duffield founded PeopleSoft in 1987 and was the CEO and chairman. PeopleSoft grew to be the world's second-largest application software company before being acquired by Oracle in January 2005 for $10.7 billion cash.

Workday In March 2005, Duffield and former PeopleSoft vice chair and head of product strategy Aneel Bhusri started Workday, Inc., a company that provides financial management, human capital management, and planning software delivered in the form of a software as a service (SaaS) model. The company is headquartered in Pleasanton, California, and employs more than 17,500 people today. Duffield was known as the company's chief customer and employee advocate. He relinquished the co-CEO role in May 2014 and became chairman of the board. He resigned as chairman in April 2021 and was appointed chairman emeritus and ultimately CEO emeritus by Workday's board.

Ridgeline Duffield founded his sixth and current company, Ridgeline, in 2017. Headquartered in Incline Village, Nevada, Ridgeline is an industry cloud software platform for investment management. The early-stage company currently employs approximately 650 people in offices in Incline Village, Reno, New York City, and San Ramon, California. Duffield was Chief Executive Officer of Ridgeline until May 2024, when Dave Blair was announced as CEO. Duffield continues as chairman.

Philanthropy

Cornell University

The Duffields have pledged more than $520 million to Dave's alma mater, Cornell University.

In January 1997, they donated $20 million in support of interdisciplinary engineering and scientific research and education. The new Engineering building was later renamed “Duffield Hall.”

In July 2020, the Duffields donated $5 million to establish the Duffield Family Cornell Promise Scholarship. The gift was the largest single gift to the Cornell Promise Initiative, which provides financial support to students and families facing hardship from the pandemic.

In early 2022, the Duffields also pledged $12.1 million to launch the new Duffield Institute for Animal Behavior at the Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine. In 2024, Maddie's Shelter Medicine Program (MSMP) at Cornell received a $4.6 million grant from the Duffield Foundation.Roberts, Laura Cahoon (October 25, 2024). $4.6M grant expands Cornell Maddie’s® Shelter Medicine Program. Cornell Chronicle.

In 2025, it was announced that the Duffields were donating $100 million to fund an expansion of Duffield Hall and a renovation of the adjacent Phillips Hall, home to the school of Electrical and Computer Engineering.

In 2026, the Duffields made a donation of $371.5 million - the largest gift in Cornell's history - to the College of Engineering, leading to the renaming of the college as Cornell Duffield Engineering.

Dave & Cheryl Duffield Foundation The Duffields established the Dave & Cheryl Duffield Foundation (DCDF) in 2016. Based in Incline Village, Nevada, the foundation has supported animal welfare agencies, pet shelters, local schools, and regional community organizations including local parks and the North Lake Tahoe Boys and Girls Club. In April 2020, the DCDF made a $350,000 grant to Incline Village Community Hospital to address the COVID-19 pandemic. In response to the 2021 Lake Tahoe forest fires, the foundation donated $4 million to over 30 charities, including $2 million to the Red Cross. Additionally, DCDF pledged $10.6 million to schools serving Hohokus, New Jersey, where he grew up.

Duffield founded and donated $25 million to the Lake Tahoe School.

Duffield and his wife donated $27 million to the Washoe County School District to expand Incline High School.

Maddie's Fund In 1994, Duffield and his wife Cheryl established Maddie's Fund with an initial investment of $200 millionAnders, George (2024). The $260 Million Pivot: A Top Animal-Care Funder Recasts Its Mission. Chronicle of Philanthropy. to bring change, collaboration, and innovation to the animal welfare industry. The foundation is named after the Duffields’ Miniature Schnauzer who was a "lighthouse during the stormy period" of the couple's work careers. Maddie died of cancer in 1997, and Duffield acted on his earlier promise to his pet: "If we ever make some money, I promise we will give it back to you and your kind so others can be as happy as we are today."

In 2024, the Fund revised its original focus and now supports multi-site projects with grants ranging from $200,000 to $1.5 million. One of Duffield's daughters, Amy Zeifang, chairs the fund that is valued at $260 million (2024).

Political activity Together with his spouse, Duffield contributed $1.2million to Donald Trump's 2020 presidential campaign.

Awards 1996 - Cornell Entrepreneur of the Year 1998 - Golden Plate Award of the American Academy of Achievement 2013 - EY Entrepreneur of the Year Award RecipientDave Duffield of PeopleSoft named entrepreneur of the year .The Free Library. 1995, Business Wire. April 10, 2015 2018 - Cornell Engineering Distinguished Alumni Award – its highest alumni honor

Personal life David Duffield is married to Cheryl Duffield. Between 2005 and 2016 they lived in Alamo, California but now live near Lake Tahoe.Dog Heaven: David Duffield's Large Bay Area Estate Seeks 9 Million The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved 21 November 2016. The Duffields have a blended family of 10 children:Carson, Biz (October 7, 2024). Workday Billionaire "Bored Silly" of Retirement Chases a Third IPO. Bloomberg. three from David's previous marriage,Philanthropies (May 20, 2016). David and Cheryl Duffield. and seven that the couple adopted together.

References

External links Workday website Maddie's fund website