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Alumni Profile: J. William Gurley

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(September 1, 1998) - In his popular investment columns for Forbes and CNET online, J. William Gurley quotes song lyrics from Johnny Cash and Tom Petty just as readily as he cites sage advice from Warren Buffet and other leading financial analysts. The offbeat approach makes for interesting reading -- and it shows the character of Gurley's uncanny wisdom, which combines a sophisticated understanding of the high-tech industry with a knack for popular prophecy.

Gurley started his "Above the Crowd" newsletter in 1994, while working as a sell-side analyst at C.S. First Boston in New York. His bi-weekly analysis of trends in the computer industry quickly drew prominent readers, including Bill Gates and Michael Dell. Two predictions that solidified Gurley's reputation were his strong advocacy of Dell stock in 1995 and his suggestion that Netscape would falter early in 1997. (Netscape stock dropped 19% the day Gurley downgraded it.)

More than anything, Gurley's columns have won followers through the depth of his insight into computer- and internet-related industries. The son of a NASA engineer, Gurley started writing computer programs during his elementary school years outside Houston. After attending college in Florida, he returned to Houston to work at Compaq, where he developed a fascination with high-tech business that eventually led him to pursue an MBA at UT Austin.

Gurley worked in Austin at Advanced Micro Devices between the first and second years of his MBA. He loved the city and the learning environment at UT. He particularly credits Management Professor James Frederickson, whom he calls "an awesome guy" and an important part of his educational experience.

Frederickson recalls Gurley as a fairly unassuming student. "He was not the most verbal person in class -- he listened more than he talked," says his former professor, who adds that the future star was a persistent and skeptical student who refused to accept superficial explanations.
Gurley's background as an engineer, says Frederickson, contributes immensely to his depth as a financial analyst. "As an engineer, he's very good analytically, but a lot of engineers can't add the complexity of reality to their outlook. Bill can. He looks at the industry like a manager -- a very technically capable manager."

After UT, Gurley landed a PC analyst position with C.S. First Boston. DMG Technology Group, a division of Deutsche Bank, lured him away in 1996 to be their Internet analyst and to assist with major deals, like the IPO of Amazon.com. All along, Gurley really wanted to be a venture capitalist. His wish came true in 1997 when Hummer Winblad Venture Partners hired the 31-year-old as a partner in the high-tech VC firm.

Gurley is a chartered financial analyst and was a member of the 1995 and 1996 Institutional Investor's All-America Research Team. In 1997 Business Week selected him as one of Silicon Valley's "Top 25 Power Brokers" and Upside magazine listed him as one of the 100 most influential people in the digital age. Readers can find his columns at CNET online -- www.news.com.

For general media information director of communications: JB Bird (512-471-3314).