It was with great sadness that I heard the news of Steve Jobs death. I did not personally know him, but he impacted almost everyday of my life for the last 30 years.

I could not work the way I work or be creative in the way that I expect without the tools that he had a vision for. His work and innovation provided me with computers and personal devices that have made my everyday life better and my professional life fulfilling in a way that might not have been possible without his vision.

What is so powerful about the life of Steve Jobs is the innovative footprint that he blazed. It does not matter if you own or use Apple products to understand that the field of technology products benefitted from his vision that inspired Apple employees and competitors alike. The whole field competed at a higher level because Steve thought outside of the norm and pushed those thoughs into products through his vision.

What a wonderful example of the American dream and entrepreneurship. A man who made the term geek take on a positive meaning and provide a role model for our children. An individual willing to stick to his principles and learn from mistakes. There is great sorrow with his death, but his life truly mattered. Even better, his vision and passion will live on because he thought to pass the torch of enthusiasm and innovative thinking. The true gift that he gave to mankind was by example.