Tivoli Systems, where I worked, went public in 1996. Not long after that it was acquired by IBM (which bought control of the company through a tender offer for

Tivoli Systems, where I worked, went public in 1996. Not long after that it was acquired by IBM (which bought control of the company through a tender offer for the shares). 26 or 27 of the original employees of the company made over one million dollars. Even the administrative assistant, hired in the early years, was able to pay off her house.