This is the story of how an extra-ordinary individual, born in Israel and raised in Brooklyn, made over 150 millionnaires by building the billion-dollar company that still bears his name. "Gartner, Inc." is synonymous with the IT Advisory industry and trades publicly on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE: IT).
Gideon Gartner has performed the entrepreneur's hat-trick: he created three companies that made it through IPO. Here, in his official biography, he shares his unique view from the inside: hopes, insights, fears, challenges, and victories.
This book includes personal remarks from Neill Brownstein, Charley Ellis, Stewart Greenfield, Judith Hamilton, Nadine Asin, Leon Botstein, Bob Martin, Norman Raben, Don Gartner, Perry Gartner, Sabrina Gartner, Aleba Gartner, Aaron Sylvan, and Rabbi Brad Hirschfield.
The October 9th, 2014 release date is a celebration of the 35th anniversary of the founding of Gartner Group (now known as Gartner, Inc.).
Background:
Gideon is an entrepreneur, having founded and built three successful firms in the computer field. He first started Gartner Inc., and served as its President, CEO and Chairman from 1979 to April 1991, and Chairman until April 1992. Gartner Inc., at over $1.4 billion in revenues (as of 2014), is the world's leading decision support firm in the computer, telecommunications and office industries; the company was ranked among the fastest growing private firms in the U.S. by Inc. Magazine, until it went public in 1986, whereupon it was ranked 9th and 20th among the best small companies in America by Business Week, in 1987 and 1988 respectively (and #1 in profitability in 1987). In 1990, Gideon led a leveraged buyout of the firm, currently traded on the NYSE.
Gideon also founded Soundview Technology Group, a broker-dealer providing investment advice and banking services relating to technology companies, for institutional investors. In 2000 the $150 million Soundview merged into "Wit Soundview", and was subsequently sold to Schwab.
GiGa Information Group was founded by Gideon in 1995; he was Chairman of the Board and CEO of this innovative company which within four years became the fastest growing technology assessment and advice company in history, growing from zero to over $60 million in less than four years after product launch, with more than 1200 enterprise clients and over 400 employees worldwide. Subsequent to the stock market collapse after year 2000, GiGa was sold to Forrester Inc.
Gideon was previously a partner at Oppenheimer & Company, and was rated the top individual securities analyst in the technology field (by Institutional Investor magazine) each year between the years 1972 and 1977 inclusive. Before moving to Wall Street, he worked for IBM in Paris, Tel-Aviv and importantly in the U.S., his last position being Manager of Market Information in IBM's critical "competitive intelligence" operation.
Gideon studied at M.I.T. (Massachusetts Institute of Technology), earning his Bachelors in Mechanical Engineering and his Master of Science in Management from M.I.T.'s Sloan School. He is married to Sarah, and is proud of children Perry, Sabrina, and Aleba, and of stepson Aaron.