Apple co-founder Steve Jobs named Fortune 'CEO of the Decade'

[AppleInsider]

For his role in turning Apple into a groundbreaking technology leader and the most valuable company in Silicon Valley, Fortune Magazine has named Steve Jobs its "CEO of the Decade."

The magazine's profile of Jobs noted that the 54-year-old overcame rejection from his own company in the 1980s, a Securities and Exchange Commission investigation scandal, two brushes with death and "his own often unpleasant demeanor" to earn the title. Given that Jobs has transformed American business, the publication has heralded the 2000s as "the decade of Steve."

"It's often noted that he's a showman, a born salesman, a magician who creates a famed reality-distortion field, a tyrannical perfectionist," the report said. "It's totally accurate, of course, and the descriptions contribute to his legend."

In the past decade, Jobs and Apple have entered and changed the industries of music, movies and cell phones. The company has also remained in the computer business, where it continues to innovate as it has done for decades. The magazine went on to compare Jobs to some of the greatest innovators in business history.

"Remaking any one business is a career-defining achievement; four is unheard-of," the report said. "Think about that for a moment. Henry Ford altered the course of the nascent auto industry. PanAm's Juan Trippe invented the global airline. Conrad Hilton internationalized American hospitality.

"In all instances, and many more like them, these entrepreneurs turned captains of industry defined a single market that had previously not been dominated by anyone. The industries that Jobs has turned topsy turvy already existed when he focused on them."

Since 2000, when Apple was worth about $5 billion, the company has delivered record quarter after record quarter. Today, Apple is worth about $170 billion, making it slightly more valuable than competitor Google.

Thanks to its record-setting, Apple is now awash in cash with $31.1 billion in cash in investments. That total, in August, was the largest net-cash sum of any technology company, due to the company's debt-free position.

Jobs' decade, Fortune noted, actually began in 1997, when he returned to the company he helped to create. Under his watch, the company debuted the iMac, its modern all-in-one desktop computer, and the iPod, which became the standard-bearer for the portable media market.

The report also notes Jobs' well-known micromanagement practices and hands-on approach, noting that he would criticize the text in ad copy. Secrecy and the Apple message are also important. Jobs reportedly rehearses every line he and others say about his company in public. That tactic is key, as Apple is estimated to have received some $400 million in free publicity by sparingly making any announcements about the iPhone before it went on sale.

The article suggests that Apple's inevitable future after Jobs will be strong, because he has recruited people who have been "trained to think like Steve." But with the CEO's return to the company this summer, there is no indication that Jobs intends to leave Apple anytime soon.

"After creating more than $150 billion in shareholder wealth, transforming movies, telecom, music, and computing (and profoundly influencing the worlds of retail and design), what should Steve Jobs do next? Given his penchant for secrecy and surprise and his proven brilliance, it's a fair bet that he'll let us know when he's good and ready."

[ View this article at AppleInsider.com ]

[monstrosity]

Bigger than henry ford
Bigger than jesus

[Postulant]

Originally Posted by AppleInsider

Since 2000, when Apple was worth about $5 billion, the company has delivered record quarter after record quarter. Today, Apple is worth about $170 billion, making it slightly more valuable than competitor Google.

Thanks to its record-setting, Apple is now awash in cash with $31.1 billion in cash in investments. That total, in August, was the largest net-cash sum of any technology company, due to the company's debt-free position.

Say no more!

[solipsism]

I wonder what impact this will have on the stock price.

Originally Posted by monstrosity

Bigger than henry ford
Bigger than jesus

Are we talking egos?

[floccus]

Originally Posted by AppleInsider

Conrad Hilton internationalized American hospitality.

His great-granddaughters seems to be doing their share to help too

And congrats Mr. Jobs.

[camroidv27]

I've never liked Jobs, even when I was an Apple fan. But I do respect the fact that he has definitely changed the computer arena. But I think too many people place too much on this one man. Remember, he runs a company and surrounds himself with plenty of competent employees.

I think the biggest thing that he can teach us though is: Debt Free. Apple has wads of cash on hand. Given, this is due to expansive profit margins + cult following. But many other companies could look at this and try to make better products and services instead of just trying to get out mass numbers of products. (Apple could use this too... their products though popular, are no better than any equivalent PC hardware in terms of reliability or construction.)

Now, if Apple could show companies how to bring jobs back to the US... then I'll be happier with Jobs himself. Till then, forget it, mainly because I know they can afford to do so.

[teckstud]

Originally Posted by monstrosity

Bigger than jesus

But not bigger than John Lennon and The Beatles or ........




The YANKEEEEEEEEEEESSSS!!!!!!!

[retroneo]

Originally Posted by AppleInsider

Jobs and Apple have entered and changed the industries of music, movies and cell phones.

I don't think Apple has changed the movie industry at all.

iPod and iTunes definitely changed the music industry. iPhone changed mobile phones too. No way that Apple TV and iTunes movie store are particularly influential.

[teckstud]

Originally Posted by retroneo

I don't think Apple has changed the movie industry at all.

iPod and iTunes definitely changed the music industry. iPhone changed mobile phones too. No way that Apple TV and iTunes movie store are particularly influential.

Jobs and Pixar did -but that's a different chapter.

[Postulant]

Originally Posted by retroneo

I don't think Apple has changed the movie industry at all.

iPod and iTunes definitely changed the music industry. iPhone changed mobile phones too. No way that Apple TV and iTunes movie store are particularly influential.

Maybe it's a reference to Pixar.

edit:What Tech said.

[Quadra 610]

Good. He deserves it.

Thank you for everything, Steve.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XzWft8ZtTTY

[monstrosity]

Originally Posted by camroidv27

I think too many people place too much on this one man. Remember, he runs a company and surrounds himself with plenty of competent employees.

There were plenty of decent employees the last time I worked for another company, but that didn't stop them releasing (if they ever got round to releasing) crappy products.
Morons at the top thought they knew better than those with the skills.

Microsoft's another prime example, the employees cant ALL be stupid, or can they?!

[solipsism]

Originally Posted by camroidv27

I've never liked Jobs, even when I was an Apple fan. But I do respect the fact that he has definitely changed the computer arena. But I think too many people place too much on this one man. Remember, he runs a company and surrounds himself with plenty of competent employees.

I would agree with that statement, but with Jobs we have so many business-related success stories that it’s hard to think that it could have happened with just anyone running the roost with the same employees. He saw the potential for what Woz had. Even NeXT turned out to be a success story in the end. I think he’s an egotistical prick, but he could teach B.T. Barnum a thing or two about showmanship and Nostradamus a thing or two about making predictions.

Originally Posted by retroneo

I don't think Apple has changed the movie industry at all.

iPod and iTunes definitely changed the music industry. iPhone changed mobile phones too. No way that Apple TV and iTunes movie store are particularly influential.

There was no legal internet-based movie sales before the iTS, that I can recall. Now we have multiple sources. You are also forgetting Pixar, which Jobs bought from Lucas for a $10M and sold to Disney for $2.xB a decade later.

[Oneota]

Originally Posted by AppleInsider

Under his watch, the company debuted the iMac, its first all-in-one computer, and the iPod, which became the standard-bearer for the portable media market.

"First all-in-one-computer" -- you mean other than the original Mac? Or the Mac Plus? Or the Mac Classic? Or the SE? Or the Color Classic? Or the Performa/LC 500-series? Or the Power Mac/Performa 5000 Series? Or the G3 All-in-one? Or their entire laptop line? Yeah, other than those non-entities, I guess you could say the iMac was the first all-in-one computer.

[tundraboy]

Originally Posted by AppleInsider

Jobs' decade, Fortune noted, actually began in 1997, when he returned to the company he helped to create. Under his watch, the company debuted the iMac, its first all-in-one computer

[ View this article at AppleInsider.com ]

Very bad reporting by Fortune. Apple did make its first all-in-one under Jobs. In 1984 with the original Mac!

[xwiredtva]

Originally Posted by retroneo

I don't think Apple has changed the movie industry at all.

iPod and iTunes definitely changed the music industry. iPhone changed mobile phones too. No way that Apple TV and iTunes movie store are particularly influential.

Well the obvious, already stated animation king Pixar. But least we never forget Final Cut and all it's accessory apps. It was the piece that broke indie's into the scene and has since become a staple in movie production. Before Final Cut you had to use mechanical terms and film and it pretty much meant the smaller guys never we able to produce anything near Cinema quality. Today, iMovie does what Final Cut did and more. Apple has and is changing the media designers and formats.

Congratulations Mr. Jobs. You have sincerely deserved that title.

[slapppy]

Congratulations to Mr. Jobs.

[steviet02]

Originally Posted by Quadra 610

Good. He deserves it.

Thank you for everything, Steve.

Really, get a grip.... You sound like you're thanking a friend, ugh there's a psych class based on this I bet.

[PaulMJohnson]

Originally Posted by steviet02

Really, get a grip.... You sound like you're thanking a friend, ugh there's a psych class based on this I bet.

I agree, I don't really understand the near hero-worship of Jobs, but I think Fortune are spot on here. It's hard to think of another CEO who has played such a pivotal role in turning a company that was becoming a financial disaster into a money making powerhouse, and for all the cool products, it's making money that a CEO is there to do.

[anonymouse]

Originally Posted by camroidv27

I've never liked Jobs, even when I was an Apple fan. But I do respect the fact that he has definitely changed the computer arena. But I think too many people place too much on this one man. Remember, he runs a company and surrounds himself with plenty of competent employees.

Well, not knowing him, I don't like or dislike him, but, I think he deserves credit for surrounding himself with "competent" employees, in addition to his apparent force of character that's allowed him to achieve what he has. It actually takes quite a bit of intelligence and discernment to surround yourself with competent people.

[mcarling]

Originally Posted by monstrosity

Bigger than jesus

Bigger than a myth?
Even Bill Gates is bigger than Jesus.

More important, in a year or two, Apple's market cap will almost certainly be larger than that of Microsoft. Apple won't just be the biggest company in Silicon Valley. Apple will soon be the biggest company in the world.

[Jon T]

It was the recent reporting of Lee Clow leaving that said it all over again for me why Steve Jobs is just so different.

What he said was that for everyone else it's about the money, ie Dell, Microsoft et al.

But for Jobs it's not at all about the money, it's about the experience, good taste and quality. And he obviously stops at no level of detail to ensure they're the most excellent that can be achieved at that moment.

No doubt he is also a fantastic manager of people, but those things have to be at the core of what defines the difference between him and the rest, and makes him the absolute correct choice for CEO of the decade.

Congrats.

[anantksundaram]

Congratulations to Steve Jobs! I cannot think of another CEO in the past few decades who has inspired so much passion - pro and con - as he has.

To me, in a world awash with CEO as consultant-speak bureaucrat, he epitomizes the CEO as straight-talking entrepreneur. Comparisons to Ford and Hilton are apt. They could have added Watson, Disney, Buffett, and Welch.

[monstrosity]

Originally Posted by mcarling

Bigger than a myth?
Even Bill Gates is bigger than Jesus.

I am an atheist ,so i agree

[anonymouse]

Although, it's a bit premature to be selecting the CEO of the decade, isn't it? There's still over a year to go, after all.

[teckstud]

Originally Posted by Jon T

It was the recent reporting of Lee Clow leaving that said it all over again for me why Steve Jobs is just so different.

What he said was that for everyone else it's about the money, ie Dell, Microsoft et al.

But for Jobs it's not at all about the money, it's about the experience, good taste and quality. And he obviously stops at no level of detail to ensure they're the most excellent that can be achieved at that moment.

No doubt he is also a fantastic manager of people, but those things have to be at the core of what defines the difference between him and the rest, and makes him the absolute correct choice for CEO of the decade.

GAG.
Lee Clow- who is that?

[teckstud]

Originally Posted by anonymouse

Although, it's a bit premature to be selecting the CEO of the decade, isn't it? There's still over a year to go, after all.

Yeah- Obama deserve that title too. He controls the biggest budget - doesn't he?

And no- there are only 1 1/2 months left in this decade. (Some things never change. )

[tslipscomb]

Originally Posted by monstrosity

I am an atheist ,so i agree

Steve has done a wonderful job, but do you honestly think a CEO will have a following of billions two years after his 'death'? Atheist or not, you can't deny that Jesus' impact on history and society was and will be much bigger than Jobs'.

[gordonz]

Originally Posted by anonymouse

Although, it's a bit premature to be selecting the CEO of the decade, isn't it? There's still over a year to go, after all.

No, just under 2 months. 12/31/2009 - 01/01/2000 = 1 decade

[solipsism]

Originally Posted by PaulMJohnson

I agree, I don't really understand the near hero-worship of Jobs, but I think Fortune are spot on here. It's hard to think of another CEO who has played such a pivotal role in turning a company that was becoming a financial disaster into a money making powerhouse, and for all the cool products, it's making money that a CEO is there to do.

It doesn’t sound like Quadra 610 has any hero-worship going on. He wrote, “Good. He deserves it.” I agree. I can’t think Jobs is a prick but I can’t think of any other CEO that deserves it more. Then he wrote, "Thank you for everything, Steve.” I doubt he thinks Steve will read it, but people do this often in forums, more often with negative comments. I have to thanks Steve, too, i guess considering the money I’ve made off Apple stock. Sure, I took the risk to invest, but I was sure it was going to rise dramatically. Not many companies are so easy to predict. Also, even non-shareholders can thank him for pushing the consumer tech market. For instance, the iPhone. Even if you don’t like the iPhone or Apple, you now have a lot more choices to choose from because of its existence.

Originally Posted by anantksundaram

Congratulations to Steve Jobs! I cannot think of another CEO in the past few decades who has inspired so much passion - pro and con - as he has.

To me, in a world awash with CEO as consultant-speak bureaucrat, he epitomizes the CEO as straight-talking entrepreneur. Comparisons to Ford and Hilton are apt. They could have added Watson, Disney, Buffett, and Welch.

If he didn’t come back to save the company he founded with another company he founded I don’t think he would be held in such esteem. I wonder who would have been named if not for Jobs. I wonder what the PC, PMP and phone market would have looked like?

Originally Posted by anonymouse

Although, it's a bit premature to be selecting the CEO of the decade, isn't it? There's still over a year to go, after all.

00—09. I count 2010 as the start of a new decade. But AD/CE didn’t start at year zero, it started at year one.

[teckstud]

Originally Posted by gordonz

No, just under 2 months. 12/31/2009 - 01/01/2000 = 1 decade

You're wasting your time with that one. He's thinks the year 2000 is in another decade.

[myapplelove]

He deserves all the praise.

Unfortunately Fortune Magazine is a joke, they 'd be better off awarding that Lehman Brothers lunatic or the Enron guys to go along with the magazines profile of making hagiographies of fat corrupt oil sheiks and underworld billionaire figures as well as greedy second rate ceos that the u.s. taxpayer is paying off from going broke. What a shallow distasteful publication.

[teckstud]

Originally Posted by solipsism

00—09. I count 2010 as the start of a new decade. A.D./B.C.E started at year zero.

Do you really feel the need to spoon feed it?

[monstrosity]

Originally Posted by tslipscomb

Steve has done a wonderful job, but do you honestly think a CEO will have a following of billions two years after his 'death'? Atheist or not, you can't deny that Jesus' impact on history and society was and will be much bigger than Jobs'.

You lot take me too seriously sometimes.

[Wiggin]

Originally Posted by camroidv27

I think the biggest thing that he can teach us though is: Debt Free. Apple has wads of cash on hand. Given, this is due to expansive profit margins + cult following. But many other companies could look at this and try to make better products and services instead of just trying to get out mass numbers of products.

This is the number one reason why Apple is able to continue to operate as normal in these economic times where credit is hard to come by. Unlike many other companies, Apple's day-to-day operations aren't dependent on loans and credit (the American car companies being a prime example).

And I think more than a few individuals can learn from that, too. Both companies and individuals would be better off if we all relied a bit less on credit (buying houses and cars we can't afford) and focused less on quantity (food, cars, toys, square footage, etc) and more an quality.

[solipsism]

Originally Posted by gordonz

No, just under 2 months. 12/31/2009 - 01/01/2000 = 1 decade

For this usage, that is the correct timeframe, but there is another, more technically accurate start and end, beginning with January 1st, xx01. This is because there is no "zeroth century” between BC/BCE and AD/CE.

The 20th century actually ended on December 31st, 2000, not 1999. Prince was a year early.

[Sipadan]

Originally Posted by mcarling

Bigger than a myth?
Even Bill Gates is bigger than Jesus.

More important, in a year or two, Apple's market cap will almost certainly be larger than that of Microsoft. Apple won't just be the biggest company in Silicon Valley. Apple will soon be the biggest company in the world.

Can't wait

[Quadra 610]

Originally Posted by steviet02

Really, get a grip.... You sound like you're thanking a friend, ugh there's a psych class based on this I bet.

It's just a little tribute. Ease up.

[Wiggin]

Originally Posted by Oneota

"First all-in-one-computer" -- you mean other than the original Mac? Or the Mac Plus? Or the Mac Classic? Or the SE? Or the Color Classic? Or the Performa/LC 500-series? Or the Power Mac/Performa 5000 Series? Or the G3 All-in-one? Or their entire laptop line? Yeah, other than those non-entities, I guess you could say the iMac was the first all-in-one computer.

Hey, you forgot to mention the Mac TV and the 20th Annerversary Mac. Hm, I guess maybe it's best not to bring those up.

Originally Posted by Jon T

It was the recent reporting of Lee Clow leaving that said it all over again for me why Steve Jobs is just so different.

What he said was that for everyone else it's about the money, ie Dell, Microsoft et al.

But for Jobs it's not at all about the money, it's about the experience, good taste and quality. And he obviously stops at no level of detail to ensure they're the most excellent that can be achieved at that moment.

No doubt he is also a fantastic manager of people, but those things have to be at the core of what defines the difference between him and the rest, and makes him the absolute correct choice for CEO of the decade.

Congrats.

I wish I still had the article so I could remember where it was published, but it was in the late 90's, I think, when Steve Jobs said in an interview something along the lines of how too many CEOs were about the fast buck, managing the stock price or marketing unrealized concepts and selling out. This was in the height of the dot-com boom where you could create a web site with a vague idea and then sell it to someone for a million dollars. He said too many people were in it for creating wealth and not enough were in it for creating companies for the long haul.

Steve may be known for his micromanagement and harsh criticism, but the patience and long-term vision of Apple is unlike any other company's. And Steve probably deserves a lot of the credit for that.

[solipsism]

Originally Posted by Wiggin

This is the number one reason why Apple is able to continue to operate as normal in these economic times where credit is hard to come by. Unlike many other companies, Apple's day-to-day operations aren't dependent on loans and credit (the American car companies being a prime example).

And I think more than a few individuals can learn from that, too. Both companies and individuals would be better off if we all relied a bit less on credit (buying houses and cars we can't afford) and focused less on quantity (food, cars, toys, square footage, etc) and more an quality.

When you have substantial liquid funds during hard economic times it becomes a buyer’s market. Apple has not only been able to weather the recession, but capitalize on it. I did it myself with the stock market buy buying in a year ago after everything collapsed. I had an average 85% gain in under 8 months.