Ken Follett - On Wings Of Eagles (1990)

Paul became Comptroller of EDS and Bill became Medicaid Marketing Director in the Health Care Division.

Joe Poche, Pat Sculley, Jim Schwebach, Ron Davis, and Rashid all continued to work for EDS in various parts of the world. Davis's wife, Marva, gave birth to a boy, Benjamin, on July 18, 1979.

Keane Taylor was made Country Manager for EDS in the Netherlands, where he was joined by Glenn Jackson. Gayden continued to be head of EDS World, and therefore Taylor's boss.

John Howell was made a full partner in Tom Luce's law firm, Hughes and Hill. Angela Howell had another baby, Sarah, on June 19, 1980.

Rich Gallagher left EDS on July 1, 1979. An easterner, he had never quite felt one of the boys at EDS. Lloyd Briggs and Paul Bucha, two more easterners, left around the same time.

Ralph Boulware also parted company with EDS.

Lulu May Perot, Ross Perot's mother, died on April 3, 1979.

Ross Perot, Jr., graduated from college and went to work for his father in the fall of 1981. A year later Nancy Perot did the same. Perot himself just went on making more and more money. His real estate appreciated, his oil company found wells, and EDS won more and bigger contracts. EDS shares, priced around eighteen dollars apiece when Paul and Bill were arrested, were worth six times that four years later.

Colonel Simons died on May 21, 1979, after a series of heart attacks. In the last few weeks of his life, his constant companion was Anita Melton, the zany stewardess from the Boeing 707. They had an odd, tragic relationship: they never became lovers in the physical sense, but they were in love. They lived together in the guest cottage at Perot's Dallas house. She taught him to cook, and he started her jogging, timing her with a stopwatch. They held hands a lot. After Simons died, his son Harry and Harry's wife, Shawn, had a baby boy. They named him Arthur Simons, Jr.

On November 4, 1979, the U.S. Embassy in Tehran was once again overrun by militant Iranians. This time they took hostages. Fifty-two Americans were held prisoner for more than a year. A rescue mission mounted by President Carter came to an ignominious end in the deserts of central Iran.

But then, Carter did not have the help of Bull Simons.

APPENDIX

IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE NORTHERN DISTRICT OF TEXAS, DALLAS DIVISION

ELECTRONIC DATA SYSTEMS CORP. IRAN

VS.

SOCIAL SECURITY ORGANIZATION OF THE GOVERNMENT OF IRAN, THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND WELFARE OF THE GOVERNMENT OF IRAN, THE GOVT. OF IRAN

NO. CA3-79-218-F

(Extracts from the Findings of Fact)

Neither EDSCI nor anyone on its behalf procured the contract unlawfully. No evidence showed bribery of any official or employee of Defendants in order to secure the contract, nor did the evidence suggest the existence of fraud or public corruption in procurement of the contract ...

The price of the contract was not exorbitant; rather, the evidence showed that the price was reasonable and in accordance with amounts charged by EDS to others for similar services. The price did not compare unfavorably with amounts charged by others in the health care industry for similar services ...

The failure by SSO and the Ministry to provide written notice of nonacceptance of unpaid invoices was inexcusable and therefore constituted a breach of the contract. The assignment of Dr. Towliati to SSO as Deputy Managing Director did not effect such an excuse. I do not find evidence that Dr. Towliati's services influenced the process of approval for invoices, nor do I find evidence that Dr. Towliati functioned improperly in his review of performance under the contract. Rather, the evidence showed that the Ministry and SSO had full and continuous opportunity to monitor EDSCI's performance. Moreover, I do not find credible evidence of trickery or that EDSCI conspired with anyone to gain wrongful approval for payment of its invoices or to deny the Defendants fair opportunity for their evaluation of EDSCI's performance under the contract ...

EDSCI did not materially breach its performance obligations under the contract; rather, EDSCI substantially performed in accordance with the description and timing of its duties for each applicable phase up until January 16, 1978, the date of termination of the contract ...

Recovery under the contract is not barred by Defendants' claims, unsupported by the evidence, that EDSCI procured the contract by fraud, bribery or public corruption. Specifically, the evidence did not demonstrate that EDS' relationship with the Mahvi Group was illegal. EDSCI's execution of and performance under the contract violated no Iranian law...

Plaintiff introduced a plethora of evidence showing the fact and result of its services: testimony from those who managed and implemented the data processing systems, photographic evidence illustrating aspects of the data preparations functions developed, as well as reports jointly prepared by EDSCI and the Ministry of benefits being realized from the contract. Credible evidence failed to directly rebut this showing ...

(Extract from the Final Judgment)

IT IS ORDERED, ADJUDGED AND DECREED that Plaintiff Electronic Data Systems Corporation Iran have and recover of Defendants The Government of Iran, The Social Security Organization of The Government of Iran, and the Ministry of Health and Welfare of The Government of Iran, jointly and severally, the sum of fifteen million, one hundred and seventy-seven thousand, four hundred and four dollars ($15,177,404), plus two million, eight hundred twelve thousand, two hundred fifty-one dollars ($2,812,251) as prejudgment interest, plus one million, seventy-nine thousand, eight hundred seventy-five dollars ($1,079,875) as attorneys' fees, plus interest on all such sums at the rate of nine percent (9%) per annum from the date hereof, plus all costs of suit herein...

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

Many people helped me by talking to me for hours on end, by replying to my letters, and by reading and correcting drafts of the book. For their patience, frankness, and willing cooperation, I thank especially the following:Paul and Ruthie Chiapparone, Bill and Emily Gaylord;Jay and Liz Coburn, Joe Poche, Pat and Mary Sculley, Ralph and Mary Boulware, Jim Schwebach, Ron Davis, Glenn Jackson;Bill Gayden, Keane Taylor, Rich and Cathy Gallagher, Paul Bucha, Lloyd Briggs, Bob Young, John Howell, "Rashid," Toni Dvoranchik, Kathy Marketos;T. J. Marquez, Tom Walter, Tom Luce;Merv Stauffer, for whom nothing is too much trouble;Margot Perot, Bette Perot;John Carlen, Anita Melton;Henry Kissinger, Zbigniew Brzezinski, Ramsey Clark, Bob Strauss, William Sullivan, Charles Naas, Lou Goelz, Henry Precht, John Stempel;Dr. Manuchehr Razmara;Stanley Simons, Bruce Simons, Harry Simons;Lieutenant Colonel Charles Krohn at the Pentagon;Major Dick Meadows, Major General Robert McKinnon; Dr. Walter Stewart, Dr. Harold Kimmerling.

As usual, I was helped by two indefatigable researchers, Dan Starer in New York and Caren Meyer in London.

I was also helped by the remarkable switchboard staff at EDS headquarters in Dallas.

More than a hundred hours of taped interviews were transcribed, mainly by Sally Walther, Claire Woodward, Linda Huff, Cheryl Hibbitts, and Becky DeLuna.

Finally I thank Ross Perot, without whose astonishing energy and determination not only this book, but the adventure that is its subject, would have been impossible.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Beny, Roloff. Persia, Bridge of Turquoise. London: Thames & Hudson, 1975.

Carter, Jimmy. Keeping Faith -- Memoirsof a President. New York: Bantam, 1982.

Forbis, William H. Fall of the Peacock Throne. New York: Harper & Row, 1980.

Ghirshman, R. Iran. New York: Penguin, 1978.