Business & Tech

Steve Jobs Posthumously Honored by Cupertino Chamber

Apple's late CEO received President's Award at Cupertino Chamber of Commerce's STAR Awards Saturday. Apple's Michael Foulkes choked up watching a tribute video to Jobs before accepting on Jobs' behalf.

Wiping away tears from his eyes as he took the podium, Michael Foulkes, Apple's senior manager for state and local government affairs, accepted an award Saturday on behalf of the late Steve Jobs, reminding the crowd that Jobs hated awards.

"I forgot I was going to see a video of Steve, which is always hard to see," Foulkes said. "So, thank you Chamber of Commerce for this award. Steve hated awards, especially awards about him so I'm going to be very quick.”

The City of Cupertino’s tribute video to Steve Jobs played just before Foulkes stepped up to accept the 2012 President’s Award from the Cupertino Chamber of Commerce at the Chamber’s 2012 STAR Award banquet.

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“We all miss him so much here, but, um, he believed that technology was a mental bicycle and that's all it was; nothing more, nothing less. It should make each of us be better than we are. He always followed that and the company still follows that, and hopefully will follow it for generations to come.

“So Steve lives in all of us. Those who worked with him miss him dearly but he lives in our hearts. All of you who have a device at home or in your pockets, hopefully that is your mental bicycle and make you be a better person than you are,” Foulkes said.

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Then turning to the Apple 2 campus that will be built on the current Hewlett-Packard Cupertino campus, Foulkes said this: “And finally for all of us in Cupertino, we have a new campus coming forward designed by Steve. Steve designed this campus as a product. You'll be very excited as it comes to fruition. It's something that is an engineering marvel that will rival any building on the planet and something that Steve, up till the end made sure was going to be a lasting legacy for Cupertino of Apple. So thank you in Steve's honor for this award,” Foulkes said.

The Chamber’s annual STAR (Service Teamwork Achievement Recognition) Award is an annual event to recognize those who perform outstanding community service or show exceptional leadership. The President’s award is at the discretion of the Chamber’s current president, who is now John Zirelli, general manager of Recology.

Saturday's 55th annual Star Awards ceremony was held at Cypress Hotel.

Other 2012 Star Award recipients were: KRTV/KLIV Broadcasting for the Large Business of the Year, Hobee's De Anza for the Medium Business of the Year,Picchetti Winery for the Small Business of the Year, Rashel Yadegari, senior branch manager of the First Tech Federal Credit Union, for the Chamber Ambassador of the Year, and former Mayor Dolly Sandoval and Rotarian Tom Dyer for the Citizens of the Year.

All the recipients' acceptance speeches are in the video clips attached.

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