Board of Directors

Ross Perot is Chairman Emeritus of the Board of Perot Systems Corporation. From April 1988 to June 1992 and again from August 2000 to September 2004, Mr. Perot held the position of chairman of the company. He has served on its board of directors from April 1988 to August 1994 and from November 1997 to the present.

In 1988, Mr. Perot founded Perot Systems and subsequently led it to the Fortune 1000 status it holds today. Prior to that, he founded Electronic Data Systems (EDS) in 1962 with a $1,000 loan from his wife. Over the next 22 years, he built EDS into one of the world’s largest technology services firms, and in 1984, he sold it to General Motors for $2.5 billion. Before founding EDS, Mr. Perot worked for IBM in the late 1950s as a salesman in the Data Processing Division.

Mr. Perot ran for president of the United States in 1992 as an independent candidate, winning 19 percent of the vote—one of the largest percentages ever for an independent candidate. He ran again in 1996 on the Reform Party ticket.

Mr. Perot has received numerous awards and honors, including:

• The Winston Churchill Award – 1986. Mr. Perot was the third recipient and the only businessman to receive this award, given to those who best exemplify the imagination, boldness, and vigor of the late British Prime minister. Prince Charles and First Lady Nancy Reagan made the presentation.
• The Jefferson Award for Public Service – 1986. Mr. Perot was honored in the category, "Greatest Public Service by a Private Citizen."
• The Raoul Wallenberg Award – 1987. As the first recipient of this award, Mr. Perot was honored for a lifetime of service that embodies the spirit, courage, and dedication of Raoul Wallenberg, the Swedish diplomat who saved more than 100,000 Hungarian Jews from the Nazis during World
  War II.
• The Patrick Henry Award – 1989. Presented by the National Guard Association of the United States, the civilian counterpart to the NGAUS Distinguished Service Medal is given in recognition of outstanding and exceptional service to the Armed Force of the United States, the National Guard, or the National Guard Association of the United States.
• American National Business Hall of Fame Award.
• The Sarnoff Award. For contributions to the electronics industry.
• The Eisenhower Award – 2004. Presented by Business Executives for National Security in recognition of support for the U.S. armed forces.
• The Smithsonian ComputerWorld Award – 1988. As the first recipient of this award, Mr. Perot was recognized for his contributions to the computer industry.
• The Horatio Alger Award – 1972. Presented by the Horatio Alger Association of Distinguished Americans to individuals who overcome obstacles to achieve significant success in their careers.
• The Texas Business Hall of Fame Award – 1986
• The Texas Science Hall of Fame Award – 2001
• Distinguished Business Leader Award – 2004. Presented by Texas Association of Business.
• In 2004, Mr. Perot was named on MSNBC.com as one of "History’s Ten Greatest Entrepreneurs," including individuals dating back to the 5th Century A.D.

Mr. Perot is the author of seven books on a variety of subjects: United We Stand; Not for Sale at Any Price; Save Your Job, Save Our Country (co-authored with Pat Choate); Intensive Care; Preparing Our Country For the 21st Century; The Dollar Crisis (co-authored with Sen. Paul Simon); and Ross Perot, My Life & The Principles for Success.

Peter Altabef joined Perot Systems in 1993 and became president and chief executive officer in September 2004.  He is also a member of the Perot Systems board of directors.  Under Mr. Altabef’s leadership, Perot Systems has expanded its global presence, with operations in approximately 25 countries, $2.6 billion of annual revenue in 2007, and more than 23,000 associates.

Prior to becoming president and chief executive officer, Mr. Altabef led the company’s business process strategy team, and was responsible for a variety of functions including legal, corporate support, marketing and communications, human resources, and internal audit.

Before joining Perot Systems, Mr. Altabef was a partner at Hughes & Luce, in Dallas, Texas, where his practice included public securities offerings and filings, mergers and acquisitions, joint venture transactions, technology licensing arrangements, and leveraged lease financings.  He also served as the firm’s hiring partner.  Mr. Altabef also practiced at Simpson, Thacher & Bartlett in New York and he served as law clerk to the Honorable Patrick E. Higginbotham of the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit.

He serves on the board of directors of Merit Energy Company, the board of trustees of the Dallas Children’s Theater, and the associate’s board of Children’s Medical Center in Dallas.  He also serves on the Americas Advisory Group of the International Business Leaders Forum (IBLF).

Mr. Altabef has served as co-chairman of the American Heart Association’s Dallas Heart Walk and of the Dallas Zoological Society’s Zoo To Do.  He is a past member of the advisory board of the Dallas Museum of Natural History and of the technology advisory committee of the Highland Park Independent School District.

Mr. Altabef received a J.D., cum laude, from The University of Chicago Law School, where he served as a clerk for The Supreme Court Review.  He received a B.A. in economics, with outstanding academic achievement, from Binghamton University, where he received The Bank of New York award for excellence in economics.