When Sam Palmisano took over in early 2002, IBM had four main businesses each organized on a global basis: hardware, software, services (such as back-office outsourcing), and personal computers (PCs). Its profits were $3.07 a share and its return on equity was 16%. When he retired as CEO of IBM on Dec. 31, profits in 2010 were $13.06 per share and return on equity was 70%. Read more about the remarkable turnaround man here.