Started as an actuary at Hewitt Associates in summer 1972 and remained there until his retirement in 2006 when he was CEO. In 1992, he was appointed as the third chief executive of Lincolnshire Illinois based Hewitt Associates and when Hewitt went public in June 2002, Gifford became the chairman of the Hewitt board as well as CEO -- both positions he held until his 2006 retirement. Gifford grew up in Wisconsin and was the valedictorian of the Ladysmith High School class of 1968. He studied actuarial science at The University of Wisconsin-Madison. While a student, he married his high school sweetheart Becky (Jordan) Gifford. He is survived by his wife Becky; his children Scott (Jennifer), Derek (Ariele) and Kristen Holdcoft (David); his grandchildren Mitchell, Allyson, Jacob, Nathan, Harrison, Kinsie, Bailey and Kelson; and his sister Kathleen.