Steve Jobs Named to CEA's 2009 Hall of Fame

The Consumer Electronics Association (CEA) on Thursday announced that Apple CEO Steve Jobs is among the latest inductees into its Hall of Fame, which was created in 2000 to recognize "consumer electronics industry leaders who made vital contributions to the products and services that consumers value and are a vital part of our nation and its economy."

The trade association will hold a Hall of Fame dinner and ceremony during its industry forum that will take place October 18-21 in Phoenix. It is recognizing Mr. Jobs because he "helped to create one of the first commercially successful PCs, the Macintosh (Mac)," the organization said in a press release.

Other 2009 Hall of Fame inductees include:

Founders/Inventors

Dr. Irwin M. Jacobs, co-founder of Qualcomm who led the commercialization of CDMA technology.

The team of Karl Hassel and Ralph Mathews, founders of the Chicago Radio Laboratory, which later became Zenith Radio.

Sales/Marketing

John Shalam founded Audiovox Corp. and helped establish the aftermarket car audio business, the aftermarket security business and the mobile video business. He also has served as CEA Chairman.

The late Neil Terk, founder of Terk Technologies, introduced the Pi antenna in 1987. The Pi was selected to be sold through the Museum of Modern Art.

Retailers

Walton Stinson is president and co-founder of the Denver-based Listen Up audio/video specialty chain and also co-founded the Professional Audio Video Retailer's Association (PARA) in 1979.

The Cohen brothers: Norman, Maurice and Philip, grew their father's Cambridge tire store in Boston into the discount retail giant Lechmere Sales that specialized in CE products.

Miscellaneous

Richard E. Wiley, past Chairman of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), played a pivotal role in the development of HDTV, serving as Chairman of the FCC's Advisory Committee on Advanced Television Service for nine years.

Dr. Joseph Flaherty demonstrated HDTV to the Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers in 1981 and also gave demonstrations to FCC and other officials, who established the Advisory Committee on Advanced Television Systems, leading to the ATSC standard.

Journalist

Aaron Neretin is a consumer electronics journalist who wrote for Merchandising Week.