Steve Jobs, 2009 IW Manufacturing Hall of Fame Inductee
In the drive for innovation, few corporate executives rival the track record of Apple CEO Jobs, whose early success with the Mac computer has been followed by the iPod and iPhone, not to mention the iTunes music store and Pixar Animation Studios.
After being ousted from Apple in 1984, Jobs founded NeXT Computer and brought its advanced technology and key personnel to Apple when he rejoined the company in 1996. Jobs quickly pared Apple's product line, improved the balance sheet and then launched in 2001 a series of game-changing products beginning with the iTunes music software.
Jobs' demands for products that combine ease of use and elegance, along with his promotional skills, make him one of today's most admired executives. He has used his penchant for secrecy to Apple's advantage, creating tremendous buzz in advance of product introductions.
Jobs has survived both pancreatic cancer and a liver transplant. At 54, he leads a company with one of the most recognizable brands in the world that is worth more than $170 billion.
