Michael Scott (Apple)

For those of a similar name, seeMichael Scott (disambiguation).

Michael Scott
Born	(1945-02-11)February 11, 1945
Known for	CEOofApple Computer, Inc.

Michael"Scotty"Scott(born February 11, 1945)is an Americanentrepreneur,who was the first CEO ofApple Computerfrom February 1977 to March 1981. Formerly director of manufacturing atNational Semiconductor,Scott was persuaded byMike Markkulato take the CEO position at Apple, as the co-founders —Steve JobsandSteve Wozniak— were both seen as insufficiently experienced for the job at the time.

Career

After graduating from theCalifornia Institute of Technology,Scott worked atFairchild Semiconductorwhere he shared a cubicle withMike Markkulaand Gene Carter; all 3 would later end up working together at Apple.

Apple

Attempting to set an example for all businesses, in 1979, Scott declared there would be no typewriters at Apple. In 1979 and 1980,Jef Raskin'sMacintoshproject was a four-personresearcheffort. It wasn't considered important within Apple and was almost canceled a couple of times. When Apple had another major reorganization in the fall of 1980, it was terminated again, but Raskin pleaded with Scott and Markkula for more time and was granted three more months to show that he was really onto something.

On February 25, 1981, the day known as "Black Wednesday" at the company, Scott personally fired forty Apple employees, including half of theApple IIteam, in a belief that they were redundant. Later in the afternoon he assembled the remaining employees with a keg of beer and explained the firings by stating, "I used to say that when being CEO at Apple wasn't fun anymore, I'd quit. But now I've changed my mind — when it isn't fun any more, I'll fire people until it's fun again."

Following this abrupt event, he was moved to vice chairman, a title with little power, and Mike Markkula, the man who had hired Scott, replaced him.

Scott left Apple officially on July 10, 1981, stating in his resignation letter:

So I am having a new learning experience, something I've never done before. I quit, not resign to join a new company or retire for personal reasons... This is not done for those who fear my opinions and style, but for the loyal ones who may be given false hope.
Yours. Michael, Private Citizen

Later career

From 1983 to 1988, Scott ledStarstruck,a private firm that attempted to create a sea-basedsatellite-launching rocket. He also began supporting non-profit organizations, such as theSeattle Operaand theCalifornia Institute of Technologyin their efforts to apply personal computers to their needs.

Gemstone expert

Scott has since become an expert on coloredgemstones,having written a book on them and assembled a collection that has been exhibited at theBowers MuseuminSanta Ana, California.He also sponsored Rruff,a project creating a complete set of high-quality spectral data from well-characterized minerals. The mineral rruffite (IMA 2009-077) was named for the Rruff project and the mineralscottyite(IMA 2012-027) for Michael Scott.

Sources

• Linzmayer, Owen W (January 2004).Apple Confidential 2.0: The Definitive History of the World's Most Colorful Company(2nd ed.).San Francisco:No Starch Press.p. 344.ISBN1-59327-010-0.OCLC52821221.