H. Ross Perot and eight associates founded Perot Systems in June 1988 after having sold
EDS to
General Motors. Before its acquisition by Dell Inc. in September 2009, Perot Systems was a
Fortune 1000 corporation with more than 23,000 associates and annual revenue (2008) of $2.8 billion. The company maintained offices in more than 25 countries around the world, including the United States, Europe, India, China, and Mexico. By 1996 Perot's family owned 40% of Perot Systems, but Perot himself had little daily involvement with it, running for the
United States presidency. Executives reportedly were divided on whether Perot's reputation for wealth and business success benefited Perot Systems more than being associated with his political positions, and discussed whether to rename the company. On September 21, 2009, it was officially announced that Dell and Perot Systems had entered into a definitive agreement for Dell to acquire Perot Systems for approximately $3.9 billion (~$ in ). The acquisition was designed to provide Dell with access to a wider set of IT services and solutions while providing existing Perot Systems customers with access to Dell computers and other hardware. Under the agreement, Dell acquired all of the company's class A stock for $30 per share, representing a 61% premium over the previous closing price for Perot Systems stock. Dell sold the division to NTT Data in 2016. Non-official sources stated the merger to Dell failed due continued conflicts in culture, and the loss of talent to various clients such as Tenet Hospitals and other start ups by former leaders. Additionally, former Perot/Dell employees founded Guide IT in 2013 (Scott Barnes, Jack Evans, John Furniss, Tim Morris, and Russell Freeman, later to include Chuck Lyles) with backing from Ross Perot Jr. ==Recognition==