Hartmut Esslinger: frog Went A-Sellin'

Since founding frog design in 1969, German-born Hartmut Esslinger has injected European style into Silicon Valley's geeky aesthetic. His 170-person, Sunnyvale (Calif.) firm designed Apple Computer (AAPL)'s first Macintosh and updated Dell (DELL)'s e-commerce Web site, while Esslinger fashioned a larger-than-life persona, even appearing on BusinessWeek's cover in motorcycle leathers.

Now 60, he has cashed in. Last month, he and his wife, co-CEO Patricia Roller, sold a majority stake in frog to contract manufacturer Flextronics International (FLEX) for more than $20 million, say sources. Flex can now take a job start-to-finish, designing not only the electronic guts, but also the look and feel of products.