Thomas Perkins (businessman) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Thomas Perkins
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Perkins speaking at TechCrunch in San Francisco in 2013
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| Born |
Thomas James Perkins
January 7, 1932 |
| Died | June 7, 2016 (aged 84) Marin County, California, U.S.
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| Alma mater | Massachusetts Institute of Technology (BS) Harvard University (MBA) |
| Occupation | venture capitalist |
| Known for | Co-founding Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers |
| Spouse(s) | Gerd Thune-Ellefsen (m. ?–1994) Danielle Steel (1998–2002; divorced) |
| Children | 2 |
Thomas James Perkins (born January 7, 1932 – died June 7, 2016) was an American businessman. He was a venture capitalist, which means he invested money in new companies to help them grow. He was one of the people who started the famous investment firm called Kleiner Perkins.
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Thomas Perkins' Life and Work
Thomas Perkins studied at two well-known universities. He earned a degree in electrical engineering and computer science from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in 1953. Later, he received a business degree (MBA) from Harvard University in 1957.
Starting His Career
In 1963, Thomas Perkins was invited to work at Hewlett-Packard, a big technology company. He became the first general manager for HP's computer divisions. He helped HP start making minicomputers, which were smaller computers than the very large ones used at the time.
During the 1960s, he also started his own company called University Laboratories. This company later joined with another one called Spectra-Physics. At University Laboratories, he helped create the first affordable laser.
Founding Kleiner Perkins
In 1973, Thomas Perkins teamed up with Eugene Kleiner to start Kleiner Perkins. This was one of the first venture capital firms in Sand Hill Road, a famous area for tech investments. Later, Frank J. Caufield and Brook Byers joined the firm, and their names were added to the company's name.
Perkins was also a director for many other important companies. These included Applied Materials, Compaq, Corning Glass, Genentech, Hewlett-Packard, and Philips Electronics. He was the chairman of Tandem Computers from when it started in 1974 until it joined with Compaq in 1997. He also chaired Genentech from 1976 until 1990.
Involvement with HP and Compaq
In 2001, when HP and Compaq were planning to merge, Perkins was on Compaq's board. He strongly supported the merger. After the companies merged, he joined HP's board of directors.
Leaving the HP Board
Thomas Perkins left HP's board on May 18, 2006. He resigned because he disagreed with how the board's chair, Patricia C. Dunn, tried to find out who was leaking information to the media. Perkins felt the methods used were not right. His resignation led to investigations into HP's actions.
News Corporation Board Role
Perkins also served on the board of directors for Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation. He was involved in investigations related to the company's activities. He did not seek reelection to the News Corp board in 2012.
Personal Life and Interests
Thomas Perkins had two children with his first wife, Gerd Thune-Ellefsen. After she passed away, he married the famous romance novelist Danielle Steel in 1998. They later divorced as friends.
Perkins was featured in a TV show called 60 Minutes in 2007. The show was about his life and his large yacht. He also appeared in a documentary film about venture capital called Something Ventured in 2011.
Homes and Yachts
Thomas Perkins owned several homes. He had houses in Belvedere, California, and spent time at Plumpton Place, an old mansion in England that once belonged to musician Jimmy Page. In 2010, he bought a penthouse apartment in the Millennium Tower in San Francisco.
Perkins loved yachts. In 2006, he launched his 289-foot (88 m) sailing yacht called The Maltese Falcon. At the time, it was the world's largest privately owned sailing yacht. He sold it in 2009.
In 2011, Perkins bought a Japanese fishing vessel and turned it into an "adventure" yacht named Dr. No. This boat carried a special submarine called "Deep Flight." There is a website for the boat with videos, including one showing encounters with Humpback whales underwater in Tonga.
His Passing
Thomas Perkins passed away on June 7, 2016, at his home in Marin County, California. He was 84 years old and had been ill for some time.
