>> reporter: he always seemed ready for courtside. former microsoft ceo steve ballmer was famous for energizing his employees. >> i have four words for you. i love this company. yeah! >> reporter: ballmer started working at microsoft in its early days, in 1980 he became the company's 24th employee and is over-sized personality became known fast through videos like this promoting windows 1.0 in 1985. >> watch as windows integrates lotus 1-2-3. >> reporter: and bill gates in the "night at the roxbury" spoof. >> steve ballmer. >> reporter: in 1998 ballmer rose to president, then ceo in 2000 taking the company through hits like xbox and kinect and flops like window vista.