It has been over a decade since Steven Paul Jobs, co-founder of Apple Inc. (AAPL), died, but his impact on the world is still being recognized.
On July 1, President Joe Biden announced that Jobs would be one of 17 recipients of the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
"His vision, imagination and creativity led to inventions that have, and continue to, change the way the world communicates, as well as transforming the computer, music, film and wireless industries," the White House said Friday.
Established in 1963 by President John F. Kennedy, the Presidential Medal of Freedom is an award to recognize people who have made "an especially meritorious contribution to the security or national interest of the United States, world peace, cultural or other significant public or private endeavors."
It is the nation's highest civilian honor and Jobs was one of three people, along with Sen. John McCain and AFL-CIO president Richard Trumka, to receive the award posthumously.
Other big names from this year's list of winners include Olympic gymnast Simone Biles, Olympic soccer player Megan Rapinoe, and Academy Award winning actor Denzel Washington.
The awards will be presented at the White House on July 7.
Jobs has taken on a nearly mythical status in Silicon Valley after co-founding Apple with Steve Wozniak in 1976. After being forced out 10 years later, Jobs returned to Apple in 1997 to take the company to the stratospheric heights it has reached over the past two decades.
Jobs helped develop some of Apple's biggest hits including the Apple Store, the App Store, iMac, iPad, iPod, iPhone, iTunes and iTunes store.
Jobs, who suffered from pancreatic cancer, died of respiratory arrest in October 2011 at the age of 56.
