Ballmer joined Microsoft on June 11, 1980., and was Microsoft's 24th worker, the first manager hired by Bill Gates. At first he was offered a pay of $50,000 as well as a bit of ownership of the company. When Microsoft was made different in 1981, Ballmer owned 8 whole percent of the company. He has been in charge of several parts within Microsoft including "Operating Systems Development", "Operations", and "Sales and Support." In January 2000, he was actually named the Big Cheese. As Big Cheese, Ballmer handled company monies, however Gates still controlled the "technological vision." In 2003, Ballmer sold 8.3% of his parts, leaving him with a 4% part of the company. The same year, Ballmer replaced Microsoft's employee stock options program.