Corporate Leadership

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.

Ross Perot, Jr. was elected chairman of the board of Perot Systems Corporation in September 2004. Prior to that, he served as president and chief executive officer of Perot Systems since August 2000. Mr. Perot has been an active member of the Perot Systems Board of Directors since the company’s founding in 1988.

In 1988, Mr. Perot founded Hillwood Development Corporation, a highly regarded real estate development and investment firm that is recognized globally for its high-quality, long-term projects. Hillwood’s largest project is Alliance, a master-planned international business center that is known as one of the world’s most technologically advanced trade complexes.

In 1996, Mr. Perot became the majority owner of a National Basketball Association team, the Dallas Mavericks. He sold equity interest in the team in April 2000, but he and Hillwood Development Corporation are involved with the "Victory" development site in Dallas. Victory, a 70-acre complex, encompasses seven million square feet of high-density retail, residential, and office space, including the new American Airlines Center, which is the home arena for the Dallas Mavericks and the National Hockey League’s Dallas Stars.

Soon after graduating from Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee, with a bachelor’s degree in business administration, Mr. Perot completed the first flight around the world in a helicopter. He joined the United States Air Force in 1983, completing pilot training in 1984. He completed more than eight years of service with the Air Force.

Mr. Perot is Chairman of the Air Force Memorial Foundation, President of the Board of St. Mark’s School of Dallas, and a member of the Executive Committee of the International Business Leaders Forum, the Board of Trustees of Southern Methodist University, the Board of the East-West Institute, and the Board of Directors of the Dallas Citizens Council.

Peter Altabef became president and chief executive officer of Perot Systems Corporation in September 2004 and is a member of the Perot Systems board of directors. Mr. Altabef joined Perot Systems in 1993 and has contributed to building an information technology services and business solutions company with $2.6 billion of annual revenue in 2007 and more than 23,000 associates worldwide.

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 Dallas. He also serves on the Americas Advisory Group of the International Business Leaders Forum.

Mr. Altabef served as 2007 co-chairman of the American Heart Association’s Dallas Heart Walk.  He is a past member of the advisory board of the Dallas Museum of Natural History and of the Highland Park Independent School District technology board advisory committee.

Mr. Altabef received a Juris Doctorate, cum laude, from The University of Chicago Law School and a Bachelor of Arts degree in economics, with outstanding academic achievement, from Binghamton University.

Darcy Anderson is Chief People Officer and Vice President for Corporate Support of Perot Systems Corporation, reporting to the CEO, with responsibility for human resources, real estate, facilities, security and wellness.

From 1994 to 2000, Mr. Anderson served in various roles at Hillwood Development Corporation, including senior vice president for corporate affairs and chief operating officer. Mr. Anderson was president of Hillwood Urban, overseeing all of the operations and development for the company’s Victory project and the new American Airlines Center in downtown Dallas. Previously, Mr. Anderson served in numerous leadership roles for the Perot Petition Drive, Perot ‘92 Presidential Campaign, and United We Stand America.

In 1983, Mr. Anderson joined Electronic Data Systems (EDS), working in recruiting management. In 1987, he assumed project management responsibilities for Hillwood Development Corporation’s real estate developments in Dallas, Austin, Atlanta, and Kansas City.

Mr. Anderson graduated from the United States Military Academy at West Point in 1978. Prior to his work at EDS, he completed five years of active duty in the United States Army, serving in various capacities with combat units of the U.S. Corps of Engineers.

Mr. Anderson serves on the Board of the Heart Hospital of Texas, he is an advisor to the Board of Directors of the Association of Graduates at West Point, and is an officer in the West Point Society of North Texas.

Russell Freeman is Chief Operating Officer for Perot Systems.  In this role, Mr. Freeman provides leadership for all of the company’s global business operations and has primary responsibility for executing the company’s business strategy.

Mr. Freeman has been a senior leader of Perot Systems since 2000, where he has been instrumental in Perot Systems development and expansion, and played a lead role in the development and implementation of the company’s strategy to focus its operations on select markets that offer the potential for higher rates of growth. 

From 2000 to 2007, Mr. Freeman served as Chief Financial Officer for Perot Systems, where he was responsible for the company's global financial functions, including financial planning, investor relations, treasury, tax, accounting, new business analysis, and mergers and acquisitions.  During this time, the company enhanced its strategic capabilities through its acquisition program, adding a substantial presence in the government services market, expanding its applications services and business process services capabilities, and strengthening its global delivery capabilities.  He led the development of new business pricing methods and mechanisms to increase the company’s competitiveness.

Mr. Freeman joined Perot Systems in 1989.  During his first seven years with the company, he served as a member of the leadership teams for many of Perot Systems' major operating units, where he oversaw all unit financial activities and was instrumental in the development, structure, and negotiation of new customer relationships and corporate development activities.  In 1997, Mr. Freeman was named Controller for Perot Systems, where he transitioned the company's accounting functions from a private company environment to a public company environment. He was also a key member of the team that took Perot Systems public in 1999.

Mr. Freeman began his career with Arthur Young & Company.  He is a Certified Public Accountant and received his bachelor's degree in business administration in accounting from Texas Tech University.

Del Williams became vice president and secretary of Perot Systems Corporation in September 2004. He also serves as general counsel for the company and leads the legal and internal audit groups.

Prior to Perot Systems, Mr. Williams practiced law in partnership with Tom Luce from 1997 to 2004 and worked on a number of issues for Perot Systems. He also served as special counsel to Hillwood Development Corporation and was actively involved in the development of Alliance, Texas and the American Airlines Center near downtown Dallas, Texas.

Mr. Williams was a managing director and general counsel of First Southwest Company from 1992 to 1997. He was responsible for the company's legal affairs, including contracting, litigation, employment matters, regulatory issues, and legislative affairs. In 1989, Mr. Williams served as general counsel of the Texas National Research Laboratory Commission, the state agency responsible for the State of Texas' participation in the superconducting super collider.

Mr. Williams received a bachelor of business administration degree with honors from The University of Texas in 1983 and a Juris Doctorate with honors in 1985 from The University of Texas School of Law. He is a member of the State Bar of Texas and a Certified Public Accountant. A recipient of a 2002 Outstanding Young Texas Ex Award, Mr. Williams was president of the UT Law Alumni Association and is chairman of the Board of Trustees of the McCombs Business School Foundation. He is also a former chairman of the Texas Business Hall of Fame Foundation and former president of the Dallas Assembly.

John King is a vice president and one of the co-founders of Perot Systems Corporation. He is the member of the Perot Systems’ Senior Leadership team that has responsibility for the enterprise quality strategy and direction. He also has responsibility for the organization that supports and maintains the company’s corporate systems..

Mr. King has more than 30 years of technical and management experience. He was previously responsible for building Perot Systems Financial Services, the company’s second largest vertical industry group, as well as establishing Perot Systems’ relationship with Swiss Bank Corporation, the largest contract in the company’s history.

Before joining Perot Systems, Mr. King worked at Electronic Data Systems (EDS) in all areas of the company, from applications development to large-scale program management. For EDS, his last area of responsibility was division management of all business with the United States government.

Mr. King has a bachelor of science degree from Otterbein College in Westerville, Ohio, and he serves on its Board of Trustees.

James Champy is chairman of Perot Systems Corporation’s consulting practice and also head of strategy for the company. He is responsible for providing direction and guidance to the company’s team of business and management consultants.

Mr. Champy is a leading authority worldwide on the management issues surrounding business reengineering, organizational change, and corporate renewal. He consults extensively with senior-level executives of multinational companies seeking to improve business performance. His approach centers on helping leaders achieve business results through four distinct, yet overlapping areas: business strategy, management and operations, organizational development and change, and information technology.

Prior to joining Perot Systems, Mr. Champy was chairman and chief executive officer of CSC Index, the management consulting arm of Computer Sciences Corporation. He was one of the original founders of Index, a $200 million consulting practice that was acquired by CSC in 1988.

Mr. Champy is co-author of Reengineering the Corporation, a best-seller which was on the New York Times best-seller list for more than a year and sold more than two million copies; it has been translated into 17 languages. His follow-up book, Reengineering Management, is also a best-seller and was recognized by Business Week as one of the best business books of 1995. His next book, co-authored with Harvard Business School professor Nitin Nohria, was The Arc of Ambition. Mr. Champy also collaborated with Professor Nohria for the book Fast Forward, which is a compilation of significant Harvard Business Review articles on change; it was published in March 1996. 

X-Engineering the Corporation, Reinventing Your Business in the Digital Age, was released in 2002. In this work, Mr. Champy takes up the opportunity and challenge for cross-organizational process design and collaboration. In his latest book, Outsmart! How to Do What Your Competitors Can’t, Mr. Champy looks at the success many companies have experienced building new business models, or altering existing ones. He reveals the surprising, counterintuitive lessons learned by companies that have achieved super-high growth for at least three straight years.

John Harper is Chief Financial Officer for Perot Systems Corporation, where he oversees the company’s global financial functions including financial planning, investor relations, mergers and acquisitions, treasury, tax, accounting, and new business pricing.

Mr. Harper has been a member of the Perot Systems team since 1993, serving in a number of roles. Prior to his current role, he was Vice President and Director of Business and Corporate Development for Perot Systems, where he was responsible for evaluating and executing acquisitions, and reviewing and approving financial returns on new business.  Since taking the role in 2000, the company has acquired 15 companies that currently contribute more than $1 billion of annual revenue.

Mr. Harper also served as Perot Systems’ Treasurer for three years, where his responsibilities included managing global banking relationships, cash management, coordinating foreign exchange and risk management.  He was also a member of the team that helped take the company public. 

He has also served as the Director of Human Resources and Director of Facilities.  In his first four years with company, Mr. Harper served as the Finance Director for the Global Financial Services and Infrastructure Services Divisions as well as a key member of a number of the company’s largest new business pursuit teams.

Before joining Perot Systems, Mr. Harper spent nine years with Ernst & Young and is a Certified Public Accountant.  He received a BBA in Accounting from Texas A&M University.

Jeff Renzi is global executive vice president of Sales & Marketing for Perot Systems. Working with Perot Systems industry leaders, Mr. Renzi develops and drives go-to-market strategies across the enterprise to increase sales and foster growth. He is also responsible for implementing best practices and establishing consistent sales processes, tools and techniques.

With more than 17 years of experience in senior sales management and direct sales in information technology services, Mr. Renzi has an extensive background in strategy development, organizational leadership, market analysis and the management of multi-million-dollar budgets. Mr. Renzi’s sales experience spans numerous industries and markets, to include: Government, Financial Services, Manufacturing, Energy, Travel & Transportation and Healthcare.

Prior to joining Perot Systems, he served in a number of sales and executive roles and won numerous leadership and performance awards at Electronic Data Systems (EDS), finishing his tenure there as the director of corporate sales leadership.

Mr. Renzi received his bachelor’s degree in business administration from Norwich University, and is a former Naval aviator for the U.S. Marine Corps.