BUSINESSWEEK ONLINE : SEPTEMBER 4, 2000 ISSUE
COVER STORY Michael David Capellas BORN Aug. 19, 1954, in Warren, Ohio EDUCATION BA in business from Kent State University, 1976; CPA. CAREER Started at Republic Steel. From 1981 to 1996, he held posts at energy-services company Schlumberger. He was a sales manager at software maker SAP from 1996 to 1997. He quickly hopped to software maker Oracle, where he was senior vice-president for the global energy business from 1997 to 1998. Was hired as Compaq chief information officer two years ago. Appointed CEO on July 22, 1999. HE ISN'T BEN ROSEN'S PUPPET Some outsiders suspect that Compaq Chairman Rosen, who fired Compaq's two previous CEOs, exerts control over the company. Capellas says he uses Rosen as a sounding board but doesn't take instructions from him. ''I call him every couple of weeks. He rarely initiates calls to me,'' says Capellas. LEADERSHIP STYLE Baseball great Reggie Jackson, whom Capellas hired to appear at corporate schmoozing events, says Capellas reminds him of New York Yankees Manager Joe Torre. ''Joe's greatest asset is his quiet confidence. And Michael has the same thing,'' says Jackson. ''It's why he's successful. He rallies the troops around him.'' HOW HE STAYS IN TOUCH WITH EMPLOYEES Every couple of months, he gives updates in Compaq's auditorium, and any of the company's 69,000 employees can watch there or on closed-circuit TV. ''Leadership is personal. You need to connect with people and make them believe that they are part of something that they can be proud of,'' says Capellas. FAMILY Marie, his wife of 21 years and a former nurse, often accompanies him on business trips and plays golf with him. Daughter Julie, 20, is a communications major at Georgetown University. Andrea, 16, is a high schooler. One song they sing on family road trips: The Lion Sleeps Tonight. He showed up at his CEO job interview with a hole in his sock--chewed by family dog, Katy. MUSIC He keeps a boom box in his office suite and plays rock at high volume early in the morning before the other execs arrive. Fleetwood Mac is his favorite. ''The best band ever. Great guitars. Great harmonies.'' At home, he also turns up the volume. ''Mom has one rule: The floor will not shake,'' says daughter Julie. _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ BACK TO TOP					RELATED ITEMS Compaq's Rockin' Boss COVER IMAGE: Compaq TABLE: Capellas' Turnaround CHART: Sales Growth Is Reviving...Producing Healthier Profits...And Boosting the Stock Price RESUME: Michael David Capellas Thinking Big by Thinking Small ONLINE ORIGINAL: Capellas: From Gridiron to Podium to Home INTERACT E-Mail to Business Week Online

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