Top 25 High Tech Leaders in Dallas: Ross Perot Jr., The

ROSS Perot Jr. President and CEO, Perot Systems

One man's tough economy is another man's good fortune. At least, that's the positive spin at Perot Systems, which provides information technology services to more than 400 clients worldwide. "This economy is good for a company like ours," says Perot Jr., who took over the company's reigns from his father last August. "This is when customers really need us to help rationalize their costs and grow their business. When times are tough, they need to change their culture, the way they do business, and their processes. But they're far more open [now] to taking that tough medicine."

Perot Systems has swallowed its own bitter pill in recent months, laying off more than 500 employees. It suffered a first-quarter net loss of $7.7 million this year, compared to a profit of $38.1 million this time last year, due in part to restructuring costs. "Anything that wasn't strategic to us was shut down," says Perot.

Still, several healthcare acquisitions and $653 million in new long-term contracts signed in the past 12 months have Perot feeling good about the future. "I've been on the board since the company started in 1988, and I've seen it go from 10 founders and zero revenue to 7,500 people and $1.1 billion in revenue," says Perot. "So it's been a great story."

Copyright D Magazine Jul 01, 2001
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