Newsday (Suffolk Edition) from Melville, New York • 8

'iwestor Swiss businessman is key shareholder in A fight By James Madore STAFF WRITER The elderly man with the confident stride and movie-star good looks always arrives promptly at the Swiss airport to pick up Charles Wang chairman of Computer Associates International The two men usually squeeze into a Volkswagen Beetle with 90-year-old Walter Haefner behind the wheel for the short drive to his lakeside home in Zurich Over a meal they'll discuss the financial performance of CA one of the world's largest software companies Also on the agenda is The Smile Train a charity to which they each gave tens of millions of dollars in 1999 Haefner who loves to drive fast then returns Wang to the airport without the entourage that often accompanies the very wealthy Such low-key meetings described by several sources have been repeated two or three times a year since 1987 They are crucial to Wang maintaining his dose relationship with largest shareholder And Hae loyalty rewarded by an increase in the value of his holdings from about $422 million in 1987 to $43 billion today is biggest weapon as it fights a takeover attempt by Texas tycoon Sam Wyly career also offers a window into the evolution of computer software from its infancy to being an indis-pensable tool of companies and individ- Haefneris World Walter Haefner the largest shareholder of Computer Associates International has made a $53 billion fortune on cars computers and horses Here are the major components of his empire: AMAG (Astomobll- and Motoren AS) Headquarters: Zurich What it does: largest importer of cars into Switzerland selling Volkswagen Porsche Audi Seat and Skoda through 56 dealerships It also rents cars and owns seven parking garages and an upscale hotel ft" role: sole owner ft" Employees: 3100 in 2000 ft" Sales: $175 billion in 2000 ft" History: Started in 1928 by Tschudi Manufactured charcoal-gas generators wooden toys and lighters for Haefner during World War II He took over the company in 1945 Computer Associates lotersatloiial Headquarters: Islandia What it does: computer software role: became largest shareholder after CA bought his computer uals Despite enormous wealth and influence along with such high-profile hobbies as horse racing and art collecting Haefner remains largely a mystery He given a lengthy interview in decades Ami friends say the attention generated by the proxy fight at CA is most unwelcome Haefner is a man who hates taking positions in public said Bemie Goldstein a financier who advised him on buying and selling several computer software companies prefers to stay in the background" The Swiss businessman declined through his secretary to be inter- viewed for this article Since launching the boardroom struggle in late June Wyly has made Haefher a key issue CAa top brass is accused of to him at the expense of other shareholders while Hae filer is criticized for allegedly listening only to version of how CA is doing So who is Walter Haefher and how did he come to be so influential? Interviews with current and former employees business partners and friends paint a picture of a hard-working unpretentious who after nearly 70 years of running a string of businesses in Europe and America is an enigma to all but his family and close friends And even some of them only know about a single aspect of his life Haefher who celebrates his 91st birthday next month shows no signs of slowing down He can be found at his office between 9 am and 6 pm on most weekdays and sometimes on weekends He also is building a new home on the shores of Lake Geneva A regimen of horseback riding which his physician made him quit a couple of years ago and twice-daily swims have kept him very fit Time seems only to have affected his AFP Photo Walter Keefe or company hr 1987 Employees: 18000 in 2000 Sales: $42 billion History: Started in 1970 by Samuel Goodner in Zurich Bought out by its US distributor Charles Wang in 1979 Moyglare Stud Fins Headquarters: Maynooth County Kildare in Ireland What it does: breeding and racing of thoroughbred horses Enters horses in about 100 races per year primarily in Europe Haefner's role: sole owner ft" Employees: 20 in 2000 Sales: not available History: Developed from a dairy farm that Haefner purchased In 1962 the same year he won the European championship for amateur jockeys tm- ca Computer Associates wwwnewsdaycomca SOURCES: Company lapcxta MmvImm Nnradoy GuaUm Pabon Investor Group: Keep Current Management Page A32 To read previous coverage of the ongoing proxy battle for control of Computer Associates visit wwwNewsdaycomCA See HAEFNER on A31 Roots Trace To Switzerland By James Madore STAFF WHITER There was a Computer Associates before Charles Wang The chairman of the board is fond of saying that he and Russell Artzt started the computer software giant 25 years ago in a Queens apartment But Samuel Goodner says he started a company by the same name in 1970 in a Swiss apartment Both men are correct depending on how far back in history you go founded CA and ran it for its first 10 Goodner said in an interview from his Orlando Fla home nobody remembers me because Charles Wang bought me out I disappeared into Goodner now 62 got his start in the computer industry at IBM and University Computing Co He was rapidly promoted and eventually headed European operation He left in 1970 after the financial problems curtailed its expansion overseas and the development of new products Goodner recalled to move into computer software development and custom programming See CA on ASS NEWSOAY SUNDAY AUGUST 12 2001 Photo fay Phnlan li Efaanhack Computer Associates founder Samuel Goodner in his Orlando Fla home.