Steve Jobs, Apple
It's a completely different Steve Jobs that stares up at Ross Perot--yes, that Ross Perot--in the photograph for a March 2, 1987 story we did on execs that were pushed out of their companies and forced to find new digs. Jobs, then 32 with a full head of hair, looks up gratefully at the billionaire computer magnate and future two-time presidential candidate, who had agreed to invest $20 million in Jobs' new enterprise, NeXT Inc.
Jobs ruminated on lessons learned in the Fortune article. He acknowledged that he "used to be a little hard on people" and was reassessing his management techniques. He expressed happiness with his age and excitement about the new company.
Nine years later, Apple bought NeXT for $429 million, eventually allowing Jobs to become the CEO of the company he co-founded that had once dismissed him. Today, he also has twice the wealth of Perot, who certainly made back his investment in NeXT.
NEXT: Michael Dell, Dell
Last updated December 01 2010: 6:26 PM ET
