Steve Jobs Takes Fortune’s ‘CEO of the Decade’ Title

Fortune magazine has declared Steve Jobs the 'CEO of the Decade.' Describing him as a 'CEO celebrity,' Fortune credits Steve with not only turning Apple around, but also having a far-reaching impact on three industries that were originally outside of Apple's influence.

In the past 10 years alone he has radically and lucratively reordered three markets -- music, movies, and mobile telephones -- and his impact on his original industry, computing, has only grown.

Looking back at the last decade, it's important to remember that in 2000, Apple was worth close to $5 billion, its market share was plummeting, and there was a real possibility of bankruptcy or takeover by another company. Hardly a month went by without rumors of who would acquire Apple. When asked what could be done about Apple, Michael Dell, CEO of Dell Computers, responded with this famous quote.

"What would I do? I'd shut it down and give the money back to the shareholders."

Today Apple is worth around $170 billion, has $34 billion in cash reserves, and could buy Dell at a whim if it was so inclined. It's been a remarkable turnaround and most of the reason for Apple's success rests squarely on Steve Jobs' shoulders.