Bill McGowan was the founder and Chairman of MCI Communications Corporation. He was born in Ashley, Pennsylvania in 1927. After college in 1956, Bill established a consulting business in New York City. The wealth he achieved from his investments and the expertise he gained raising money and advising paid off when, in the mid-60s, he met Jack Goeken of Microwave Communications Inc.

In 1968, Bill took over for Jack as chairman of Microwave Communications. Bill raised capital for the growing company and set up 15 of their 17 regional carriers for its network. In 1971, he reorganized the company and its subsidiaries to form MCI Communications.

As chairman of MCI, Bill most notably took on AT&T to gain a foothold in the telecom industry. Since AT&T was basically a monopoly regulated by the government, this limited competition in the U.S. long-distance market and kept smaller companies and entrepreneurs from being successful. In January 1974, with MCI’s cooperation, the U.S. Dept. of Justice filed an antitrust lawsuit against AT&T. During this time, MCI developed a service called MCI Execunet to try and compete with AT&T. With MCI’s aggressive lobbying campaign, the FCC heard arguments to move towards competition. This led to the 1982 agreement for deregulation and the subsequent 1984 divestiture of AT&T, which broke up AT&T into the seven “Baby Bells”. Working quickly and economically, MCI thoughtfully began to build out its microwave network. By 1990, MCI had become the country’s second largest long-distance carrier with $9.5 billion in revenue.

Known as an avid reader who worked 15-hour days and strived to keep the work environment exciting, Bill was also a voracious coffee drinker and heavy smoker. He suffered multiple heart attacks and underwent a heart transplant in 1987. On June 8, 1992, Bill suffered a fatal heart attack at the age of 64.

Bill graduated from King’s College in 1952, and then graduated as a Baker Scholar from Harvard Business School in 1954. His philanthropy included research in heart disease and the William G. McGowan Charitable Fund. Bill’s many honors include the Edison Achievement Award and induction into the Junior Achievement Business Hall of Fame. Several buildings bear his name including at the University of Pittsburg, the Rochester Institute of Technology, Depaul University, King’s College Business School, and the National Archives McGowan Theater. In 2000, Bill was posthumously inducted into the Wireless Hall of Fame.