The Ousley file
Jim Ousley
chairman and CEO
Savvis Inc.
Born: Burbank, Calif.
Education: Bachelor of science degree, business administration, University of Nebraska
What was your very first job?
I picked up golf balls on a golf range.
Who has been the most influential person in your life?
My grandfather in Lincoln, Neb. He started as an elevator operator in a little department store and ended up owning it. He was such a prince of a guy, and I learned so much from him. He was in Lincoln, which is where the university is, and later in life, I worked in his store. He had such a great combination of both corporate charity and church and just a combination that blended them all together.
What is the best advice you’ve ever been given?
Be patient. One of the best career things that ever happened was I got passed over for a very senior position in one of the companies when I was moving along rapidly in the high-technology industry.
I got very frustrated because I did not feel that the person who got put into the position was anywhere near my peer. I remember my boss sitting me down and telling me, not rationalizing why he made the decision, but saying, ‘Jim, be patient.’ I was going to quit but listened to him. I ended up being CEO of that company, Control Data Corp.
What one person would you most like to sit down and talk to?
The premier of (the State Council of the People’s Republic of China,) Wen Jiabao. I’d just like to understand how he is thinking about this explosive growth in China.
