Larry Ellison

Larry Ellison (born August 17, 1944) is an American businessman, philanthropist, and co-founder of the multinational computer technology corporation Oracle. He served as the company's CEO from its founding until September 2014. Currently, Ellison is the executive chairman and chief technology officer of Oracle.

Early life

Ellison was born in New York City, to an unwed mother of Jewish heritage. After he contracted pneumonia at the age of nine months, his mother gave him to her aunt and uncle for adoption. He did not meet his biological mother again until he was 48. Ellison moved to Chicago's South Shore, a middle-class neighborhood, and was raised in a two-bedroom apartment by his adoptive parents.

Education

Ellison attended South Shore High School in Chicago and later was admitted to the University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign. He did not complete his degree, leaving the university after his second year due to the death of his adoptive mother. Later, he enrolled at the University of Chicago, where he first encountered computer designing. However, he left the university without obtaining a degree.

Career

In 1977, Ellison and his former colleagues, Robert Miner and Edward Oates, founded Software Development Laboratories (SDL). In 1982, the company was renamed Oracle Systems Corporation after its flagship product, the Oracle Database. Ellison served as Oracle's CEO for 37 years, until 2014. Under his leadership, Oracle became a major player in the database software market.

Philanthropy

Ellison has donated up to 1% of his wealth to charity, in line with the Giving Pledge, which he signed in 2010. His donations have primarily focused on health and education. In 2016, he donated $200 million to the University of Southern California for establishing a cancer research center.

Personal life

Ellison has been married and divorced four times. He has two children, David Ellison and Megan Ellison, both of whom are film producers.

See also

• List of billionaires
• Oracle Corporation
• Silicon Valley

External links

• Oracle Corporation