On Sunday, former President Jimmy Carter passed away at 100. Carter, who was the U.S. Commander-in-Chief from 1977-1981, was honored by Apple today on the company’s website. Carter’s legacy really began after he failed to win a second term and lost in a landslide to Ronald Reagan in 1980. He helped build homes for the non-profit organization Habitat for Humanity and won a Nobel Peace Prize for 2002.
Apple’s website featured a photo of Carter while he was working for Habitat for Humanity. In the photo, the former president is wearing a tool belt which includes bags where nails and tools are kept within easy reach of a builder.
During the Carter presidency, Apple released the Apple II computer in 1977. This was one of the first successful mass-produced personal computers and the device helped to establish Apple as a key player in the PC industry. During the years that Jimmy Carter was in the White House, Apple experienced rapid growth growing its revenues from $775,000 in 1977 to more than $118 million in 1980. In fiscal year 2024, Apple’s revenues were $391 billion.
Today, we honor President Carter’s lifetime of service and his commitment to leaving the world better than he found it. May he rest in peace. pic.twitter.com/cXl99kT7lr
— Tim Cook (@tim_cook) December 29, 2024
Apple had just three key executives when Jimmy Carter took the oath of office in 1977 led by co-founder Steve Jobs who was only 21 years old at the time. 26-year-old Steve Wozniak was another co-founder and as the top engineer, “The Woz” built the Apple I and the Apple II. Former Intel marketing manager Mike Markkula helped get Apple funded. A venture capitalist, Markkula was Apple’s first chairman and as one publication put it, he brought adult supervision to the company. Later in 1977, Michael Scott joined Apple to become its first president and CEO.
During the later days of the Carter administration, Apple went public on December 12, 1980. If you had bought 45 shares of Apple during the IPO at $22 (a $1,000 investment), today you would own 10,800 shares worth over $2.7 million. The offering helped to make millionaires out of Steve Jobs, Steve Wozniak and several Apple employees. Jobs soon became a widely sought after spokesman when the subject matter was the nascent PC industry or technology in general.
