I helped make Dell the company it is - and I can prove it.

Dell Computer Corporation is a mega-corporation by any measurement. Recent quarterly sales exceeded 15 billion (with a b) dollars; offices and manufacturing world-wide; more than 100,000 employees; leading or in the big three manufacturers annually, Fortune 500 company. If computers are involved, Michael Dell is in it, or on it, or owns it. And I helped him get started.

The story of Michael selling computers out of his UT dorm room beginning in 1984 is legend, and it's true. And when he came out with his own line of computers, named PCs Limited, by the way, he had a little storefront on Anderson Lane, near the current Red Lobster. Demand prompted him to move to a significantly larger building near Rutherford and Highway 183, and that's where I come in.

Michael asked me to come set straight some programming problems he had. Well, in a sense that's what happened. He asked a vice-president, who asked a department head, who asked a manager, who asked a lead programmer, who asked me to come advise them all. And here's the proof:

It's a little faded, and you may have to click on it to see the details, but the key features are the date (1986) and the amount ($2,540).

Yep, just 2 years into Mr. Dell's venture, he paid me big bucks to help him out. He even expressed his appreciation to me one evening; I was working late (since I was gainfully employed elsewhere, late was the only time I had for my efforts at Dell) and Michael popped up in the next cubicle, some component in his hand. He said, and I'll never forget the gratitude in his voice, "Who are you?" When I explained that I was working on his sales tracking system, he was obviously relieved, and right then and there he entrusted me with a key responsibility. He said, "Be sure that door is locked when you leave."

I had lunch with Michael several years later. It's really unfortunate that the restaurant messed up and seated me at a table far removed from Mr. Dell and his entourage. I'm certain that he wanted to thank me for my part in getting his company on the road to success.

It was nothing, Michael. It was nothing.