President Barack Obama will honor late Apple co-founder Steve Jobs during tonight’s State of the Union address, reports AFP. Laurene Powell Jobs, Steve Jobs’ wife, will be in attendance as a guest of First Lady Michelle Obama, according to a list of guests leaked by Time.
Steve Jobs died on October 5, 2011, after a years-long battle with cancer. Following Jobs’ death, President Obama said in an official statement that the Apple visionary “was among the greatest of American innovators – brave enough to think differently, bold enough to believe he could change the world, and talented enough to do it.”
Laurene Powell Jobs is the chair and founder of the Emerson Collective, “an organization focused on harnessing the potential of individuals from underserved communities to help them build a better life,” according to the official White House bio. Powell Jobs also serves as president of the board of College Track, an after-school program started in East Palo Alto, California, which helps “underserved” high school students prepare for higher education.
Here are the bios of a number of other tech-centric attendees of tonight’s SOTU, via the White House’s list:
Mike Krieger Co-founder Instagram San Francisco, California
Mike Krieger is the co-founder of Instagram, the fastest growing social mobile startup in the U.S. today, with over 15 million registered users. Mike was born in São Paulo, Brazil, and moved to California in 2004 to attend Stanford University, where he studied computer science and cognitive science. In 2010, he joined up with Kevin Systrom to co-found Instagram, and now employs a talented, growing team of designers and engineers. After graduation, Mr. Krieger worked for a year on his student F-1 visa, later applying for and receiving an H-1B visa as a high-skill worker. Mr. Krieger wants to permanently stay in the U.S. and has applied for a green card.
Alicia Boler-Davis Plant Manager, General Motors Orion Assembly Detroit, Michigan
Alicia Boler-Davis lives in Detroit with her husband, Fitzgerald, and their two young sons. She is the plant manager at General Motors Orion Assembly and Pontiac Stamping, and is responsible for overseeing the production of the first new small car program from General Motors to be manufactured in the United States. Last October, Ms. Boler-Davis led President Obama and President Lee of South Korea on a tour of the General Motors Orion Assembly and Pontiac Stamping. President Obama and President Lee traveled to the GM plant to highlight the free trade agreements and the resurgence of the American auto industry.
Jackie Bray Process Operator at the Siemens Charlotte Energy Hub King’s Mountain, North Carolina
Jackie Bray is a single mother from King’s Mountain, North Carolina. Last January she was laid off from her job as a high speed packaging mechanic. That is when she enrolled in Central Piedmont Community College to prepare for Siemens pre-hiring test. After finishing the course and passing the test, Ms. Bray was hired by Siemens in August of 2011. This type of partnership between businesses and community colleges is exactly what President Obama hopes to strengthen to maximize workforce development strategies, job training programs, and job placements. Ms. Bray now works as a process operator, combining her machinist background with new skills she has been trained on since working at Siemens: laser training, robotics training, penetrant inspection training, and product orientation.
Dr. Hiroyuki Fujita Founder, President and CEO Quality Electrodynamics Cleveland, Ohio
Dr. Hiroyuki Fujita is founder, president and chief executive officer of Quality Electrodynamics (QED), in Cleveland, Ohio. Coming to America from Japan in 1988 and after receiving his Ph.D. in physics from Case Western Reserve University in 1998, Dr. Fujita chose to continue his professional training in America. In 2006 he started his own company, QED, which is a developer and manufacturer of highly proprietary state-of-the-art MRI radiofrequency antennas. QED is now one of the world’s largest suppliers of these products and ships throughout the globe. In 2010, Dr. Fujita founded his second company, eQED, a solar energy-related electronics development and manufacturing company. With the founding of both QED and eQED, today Dr. Fujita is creating high tech, advanced manufacturing jobs in the healthcare and energy sectors in the United States.
Captain Mark Kelly, USN, Ret.
Mark Kelly is an American astronaut, retired US Navy Captain, best-selling author, and an experienced naval aviator who flew combat missions during the Gulf War. The winner of many awards, including the Legion of Merit, two Defense Superior Service Medals and two Distinguished Flying Crosses, Kelly was selected as an astronaut in 1996. He flew his first of four missions in 2001 aboard Space Shuttle Endeavour, the same space shuttle that he commanded on its final flight in May 2011. He has also commanded Space Shuttle Discovery and is one of only two individuals who have visited the International Space Station on four different occasions.
Already a celebrated American, Kelly became the center of international attention after the January 2011 assassination attempt on his wife, US Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords. In their best-selling memoir, Gabby, the couple shares their story of hope and resilience with the world.
Internet users can watch the full SOTU address on the White House’s YouTube channel, here. For other watching options, see PC Mag’s very thorough list, here.
This article was originally posted on Digital Trends
More from Digital Trends
Missing Obama-Jobs photo sparks new health concerns for Apple CEO
Steve Jobs doll abandoned after pressure from Apple lawyers and family
25 comments