born June 27, 1930, Texarkana, Texas, U.S.
U.S. businessman.
After graduating from the U.S. Naval Academy, he served in the navy (195357). He worked for IBM from 1957 to 1962, when he formed his own company, Electronic Data Systems; he sold it in 1984 to General Motors for $2.5 billion. In 1992 he became an independent candidate for U.S. president. Appealing to voters dissatisfied with traditional party politics, he won 19% of the popular vote, the best third-party presidential showing since 1912. He ran again in 1996 but received only 8% of the vote. His Reform Party, which he founded in 1995, gradually established its autonomy from him.