America’s newest quarter-billionaire, who just completed one of the largest corporate buyout deals in history, plans to relax a bit for the next few months.
Among John Wilder’s main ambitions in that timespan are driving coast-to-coast, reading the Bible cover to cover, riding a camel, camping with his sons, and learning how to ballroom dance.
The former chairman and CEO of TXU is now technically unemployed. But he personally walked away with more than $270 million from the $32 billion private equity buyout, completed last week.
TXU, now called Energy Future Holdings Corp., is owned by Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co. and TPG, formerly Texas Pacific Group.
“I’ve never regretted for a moment my decision to join TXU,” Wilder wrote in a farewell letter to employees at the completion of the deal. He joined the company in 2004 and is credited with resurrecting the financial fortunes of the Texas power giant.
His three-page letter, posted on DallasNews.com, is a curious mix. At times it reads like an Oscar acceptance speech, self-motivational tome, position-wanted advertisement and corporate morale booster.
“I am convinced that you are set to lead the power industry into a momentous new era,” he writes to those he left behind.
He thanks those who helped him and advises his former employees to prepare their own “life lists” of things to do before they die. Thus, his desire to ride a camel and dance.
He says he is going to spend some time with his charity, the John and Susan Wilder Foundation. He may join a corporate board or two. And, when he’s ready, he might go back to work in the energy industry.
“I’ll consider CEO jobs at company turnarounds as well as chairman jobs, advisory boards, private investing, energy technology startups, global liquefied natural gas jobs,” he writes. “All I’m really looking for is a professional opportunity where I can use my knowledge and contribute.”
His Muckety Map (above) indicates he shouldn’t have any trouble finding something suitable.