Michael Saul Dell is an American businessman, philanthropist, investor, and author. He is more famous throughout the world as the founder and CEO of technology giant and computer manufacturer Dell Inc. As per Forbes, Dell’s estimated net worth is about $18.8 million, as of 2014.
Dell started out as a boy who built computers and then directly sold it to buyers. He is now the owner of Dell computers and one of the richest people in the world. With an annual sales of nearly $50 billion, Dell Inc. is regarded as one of the most profitable computer and technology companies on the planet.
The book titled ‘Direct From Dell: Strategies That Revolutionized an Industry,’ is partially autobiographical. Written in collaboration with author Catherine Fredman, the book provides details about the childhood of Dell and explains the manner in which a company that he began with only $1000 investment eventually went on to become one of the mega-corporations of the world valued at over $100 billion.
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The personal life of Michael Dell – Wife and Children
Michael was born on 23rd February 1965 to orthodontist Alexander Dell and stockbroker Lorraine Charlotte. The Jewish family lived in Houston, Texas. Dell went to the Herod Elementary School located in Houston.
On October 28, 1989, Michael got married to Susan Lynn Lieberman, an elite-level athlete, in Austin, Texas. Susan is the current chairperson of the Board of their charity foundation, ‘The Michael & Susan Dell Foundation.’ She also owns and runs a fashion label called Phi, of which Michael is the chairman. Phi has been featured in fashion magazine Vogue and has done runway shows in NYC. In her free time, Susan runs, cycles, and swims. She has even been a participant at the Ironman endurance competition in 2003.
Dell and Susan have 4 children – Alexa, Zachary, Juliette and Kira. The family lives at their hilltop residence, ‘The Castle,’ situated on the outskirts of Austin. It is considered as the most expensive home in Texas. Alexa, 20 is reportedly dating Sean Rad, CEO of Tinder.
The Homes and Estates of Michael Dell
- 6D Ranch: Located on a huge meadow overlooking Lake Austin, this fine residence is spread over 6,380 square feet. Its design is a modern representation of a Texas family lake house bungalow. In addition to a kitchen, dining room, and living room, the home also features luxurious amenities such as a health, workout, and exercise area; a spacious loft which opens into an picturesque outdoor terrace; and easy access to the lake for water adventures.
- Anguilla beach villa: Located in the scenic Caribbean island of Anguilla, this fancy beach mansion features a neo-classical design. Anguilla is an overseas territory of the UK and an EU overseas territory in the region. Constructed in 2001, Dell uses this villa whenever he vacations on this island with his family.
- The Castle: This is the main home of Michael Dell. Constructed in 1997, the most expensive residence in Texas is perched on top of a hill outside the city limits of Austin. Spread across 33,000 square feet, the mansion is surrounded by high walls and features extensive security systems; hence it has been named as ‘The Castle.’ The house has a conference room, 8 bedrooms, outdoor and indoor swimming pools, and amazing views of the countryside as well as Lake Austin.
- Raptor Residence: Located in Hawaii, this lavish oceanfront home of Dell consists of 18,500 square feet of interiors, seven bedroom, and five half and seven full bathrooms. The magnificent estate has been valued at $28.5 million. It may however be noted that most of this value is derived from the land that the mansion sits on, rather than the house itself. The luxurious Raptor Residence is the second holiday getaway of the Dells.
The Jets of Michael Dell
- Gulfstream V: Dell owns an opulent Gulfstream V, a high performing, extremely reliable, and one of the most cozy and comfortable business jets on the planet. Powered by 2 Rolls-Royce/BMW BR710-48 engines, the lavish jet can fly non-stop to any place on earth. The Gulfstream 500 is regarded as the first in the category of ultra-long-range private jets. The jet features a standard cabin with fold-out tables, satellite TV, power outlets, multiscreen entertainment systems, and a capacity to seat about 15 passengers. The area can however be customized to suit the needs of the owner, or reconfigured to hold additional passengers.
Michael Dell – Cars and other Lifestyle Pursuits
Dell is a fan of super cars and is an avid collector of cars. His garage is home to some of the most spectacular automobiles such as the Hummer H2, 2004 Porsche Boxster, and Porsche Carrera GT. He also likes horse-riding and raises Bask lineage Arabian horses at his 6D ranch located in Austin, Texas. Being one of the most powerful men in Texas, Dell has numerous rich and powerful Texans as friends, including George Bush, former US President.
Michael Dell Philanthropy
- Michael and Susan Dell Foundation: Michael and Susan set up ‘The Michael & Susan Dell Foundation’ in 1999. In addition to a variety of philanthropic causes, the foundation main focus is on urban education, family economic stability, grants, and child health. The foundation has mainly been supported via investment of the proceeds of the sale of Dell Inc.’s shares. It currently has assets worth more than $466 million in its management.
- Over the years, nearly $65 million has been given in grants by the foundation to 3 health-associated organizations linked to the University of Texas, namely, the Dell Pediatric Research Institute, the Michael & Susan Dell Center for Advancement of Healthy Living, and the Dell Children’s Medical Center. The foundation committed $50 million in 2012 for medical education. Students can begin enrolling at the Dell School of Medicine located at the University of Texas in Austin, in the year 2016. The foundation has also provided funds for creation of a new computer science center at the Austin campus of the University of Texas. As of 2010, the foundation has donated over $650 million to children’s causes and other community charities in the US, South Africa, and India.
- In 2014, the Friends of the Israel Defense Forces received a donation of $1.8 million from Michael Dell.