Ross Perot

Ross Perot was a very busy man.

He worked in the Navy first. Later, he started big companies. One company helped with computer data.

He also ran for president of the United States. He ran twice to share his ideas. Many people voted for him.

He wanted to help make the country better. He was a very famous leader.

Ross Perot was a famous American businessman. He was also a politician.

Perot grew up in Texas. He served in the Navy. After the Navy, he worked as a salesman. In 1962, he started a company called EDS. This company helped with computer data.

Later, he started Perot Systems. He also gave money to help Steve Jobs start a computer company.

Perot ran for president twice. He ran in 1992 and 1996. He did not belong to the two main parties. In 1992, he ran as an independent. In 1996, he led the Reform Party.

Many people voted for him. In 1992, he won over 19 million votes. He spoke with other leaders in debates.

Perot cared about many things. He wanted a balanced budget. He also worked to find American soldiers left in Vietnam. He used his wealth to help others through his foundation. He died in 2019 at age 89.

Ross Perot was a famous American businessman and politician. He was born on June 27, 1930, in Texarkana, Texas. His father worked with cotton contracts. As a boy, Perot worked as a paperboy. He was also an Eagle Scout. He went to the United States Naval Academy. After school, he served as a junior officer in the Navy. He served on a destroyer and an aircraft carrier from 1953 to 1957.

After the Navy, Perot worked as a salesman for IBM. He was very good at his job. In 1962, he started a company called Electronic Data Systems, or EDS. This company helped other businesses with data processing. It was hard work at first. He was told "no" 77 times before he got his first contract. Eventually, EDS became very successful. In 1968, the company went public. Its stock price grew very fast. In 1984, General Motors bought a part of the company for $2.4 billion.

Perot was a very wealthy man. He later started Perot Systems in 1988. In 2009, the company Dell bought Perot Systems for $3.9 billion. Perot also used his money to help others. He was an angel investor for a company called NeXT. This was a computer company started by Steve Jobs. Perot also had a foundation. His foundation once bought a very old copy of the Magna Carta. He lent it to the National Archives to show the public.

Perot became very active in politics. He ran for president twice. In 1992, he ran as an independent. He wanted a balanced budget and more jobs for Americans. He even appeared in debates with George H. W. Bush and Bill Clinton. In 1992, he won over 19.7 million votes. This was a very strong showing for a third-party candidate. In 1996, he ran again with the Reform Party. He won 8.4 percent of the popular vote in that election.

Perot cared about many important issues. He worked to find American servicemen left in Southeast Asia after the Vietnam War. He also spoke out against the Gulf War. He was a person who wanted to change how things worked. He lived a long life and died in July 2019. He was 89 years old. He passed away in Dallas, Texas, from leukemia.

Henry Ross Perot was a prominent American businessman, politician, and philanthropist. He was a significant figure in the technology and political sectors of the late 20th century. Perot is perhaps best known for his independent presidential campaigns in the 1990s. He also founded major companies like Electronic Data Systems (EDS) and Perot Systems. His life involved massive financial successes and complex political challenges. He used his wealth to support various causes and investments.

Perot's career began with a foundation in the military and sales. He attended the United States Naval Academy after graduating from high school in 1947. From 1953 to 1957, he served as a junior officer on a destroyer and an aircraft carrier. He later joined the Naval Reserve, reaching the rank of lieutenant by 1961. After leaving the Navy, he worked as a salesman for IBM. He was an exceptionally successful salesman, often meeting his annual goals in just two weeks. This experience prepared him to launch his own business ventures.

In 1962, Perot founded Electronic Data Systems, known as EDS, in Dallas, Texas. EDS provided data processing services to large corporations and the government. The company faced early struggles, as Perot was denied 77 contract bids before winning his first one. However, EDS eventually became highly successful by computerizing records for Medicare. In 1968, the company went public, and its stock price rose rapidly. In 1984, General Motors purchased a controlling interest in EDS for $2.4 billion.

Perot's business life included both massive gains and sudden losses. In 1969, his shares in EDS were briefly worth $1 billion. However, in April 1970, he experienced a major stock market event. His EDS shares dropped $445 million in value in a single day. This happened during a broader collapse in the technology sector. At that time, many computer stocks lost most of their value. Despite this, Perot continued to build businesses. He founded Perot Systems in 1988, which Dell later acquired for $3.9 billion in 2009. He also acted as an angel investor for NeXT, a company founded by Steve Jobs.

Perot was a very active and sometimes controversial political figure. He became deeply involved in the Vietnam War POW/MIA issue. He argued that hundreds of American servicemen were left in Southeast Asia. He also strongly opposed the Gulf War and the North American Free Trade Agreement. In 1992, he ran for president as an independent candidate. He advocated for a balanced budget and electronic direct democracy. He even participated in televised debates against George H. W. Bush and Bill Clinton.

His 1992 campaign was one of the strongest for a third-party candidate in U.S. history. Although he did not win any states, he earned over 19.7 million votes. This represented 18.9% of the total popular vote. In 1996, he ran again as the nominee for the Reform Party. This party was formed by supporters of his earlier campaign. In that election, he won 8.4 percent of the popular vote.

Beyond business and politics, Perot was a dedicated philanthropist. The Perot Foundation bought an early copy of the Magna Carta. This historic document was lent to the National Archives for public display. He also used his wealth to support medical research and wounded soldiers. His life was marked by a desire to challenge existing systems. He died from leukemia in July 2019 at the age of 89. He left behind a complicated legacy in American industry and politics.