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Larry Ellison

17 August 1944 – present

Larry Ellison is an American businessman who co-founded the software company Oracle in 1977 and led it as chief executive until 2014. Oracle built its business on relational database software and grew through large acquisitions, including Sun Microsystems in 2010. Ellison remains Oracle's chairman and chief technology officer and has funded sailing and medical research ventures.

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Life events

Born in New York City, United States
17 August 1944

Born in the Bronx to a young unmarried mother.

Source: en.wikipedia.org
Birth ✓
Adopted by his great-aunt and her husband in Chicago
c. 1945

Raised on the South Side of Chicago by Lillian and Louis Ellison after being sent to them as an infant.

Source: en.wikipedia.org
Personal ✓
Attended the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and left without a degree
1962

Departed during his second year and later spent a term at the University of Chicago, where he first encountered computer design.

Source: en.wikipedia.org
Education ✓
Moved to northern California
1966

Relocated to the San Francisco Bay Area and worked as a programmer, including at Ampex.

Source: en.wikipedia.org
Relocation ✓
Co-founded Software Development Laboratories with Bob Miner and Ed Oates
1977

The company was later renamed Relational Software and then Oracle Systems Corporation.

Source: en.wikipedia.org
Career ✓
Released Oracle version 2, an early commercial SQL relational database
1979

The product was sold as version 2 even though no version 1 had been shipped.

Source: en.wikipedia.org
Achievement ✓
Took Oracle public on the Nasdaq stock market
March 1986

The initial public offering came a day before Microsoft's in March 1986.

Source: en.wikipedia.org
Achievement ✓
Completed Oracle's acquisition of Sun Microsystems
2010

The purchase brought Java, the Solaris operating system and server hardware into Oracle.

Source: en.wikipedia.org
Achievement ✓
Bought most of the Hawaiian island of Lanai
2012

Acquired about 98 per cent of the island and invested in its resorts and infrastructure.

Source: en.wikipedia.org
Personal ✓
Stepped down as chief executive of Oracle
2014

Became executive chairman and chief technology officer, with Safra Catz and Mark Hurd named co-chief executives.

Source: en.wikipedia.org
Career ✓