Apple

Trained as a technical draftsman at the School of Industrial Art in New York City, Wayne started his first business designing and manufacturing slot machines in 1971, which failed within its first year. At Atari, he established documentation and materials control systems that dramatically improved manufacturing efficiency, where he met coworkers Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak. As the venture's self-described "adult in the room" at age 41, Wayne drafted the original partnership agreement, created the first illustrations of the Apple logo, and wrote the Apple I Operations Manual. Already risk-averse following his traumatic slot machine business failure, and possessing personal assets unlike Jobs and Wozniak (then 21 and 25), Wayne exited 12 days after founding, receiving $800 for his 10% stake. He has stated he does not regret selling his share, as he made the "best decision based on the information available at the time".

Attended Reed College in 1972 before dropping out after one semester, then worked as a technician at Atari in 1974. Co-founded Apple Computer Company in 1976 with Steve Wozniak, driving the Apple II to mainstream success before being fired by the board in 1985. Founded NeXT that same year, specializing in computers for higher education and business markets, and in 1986 bought Lucasfilm's computer graphics division, spinning it off as Pixar. Pixar produced the first computer-animated feature film, Toy Story (1995), transforming him into a billionaire. Returned to Apple as CEO in 1997 after the company acquired NeXT, reviving Apple from near-bankruptcy. Known for building a product system where simplicity was enforced by decisions: what to cut, what to own end-to-end, and what tradeoffs were non-negotiable.

Worked at Hewlett-Packard designing calculators in the early 1970s after attending UC Berkeley, eventually earning his electrical engineering degree in 1987. At the Homebrew Computer Club, designed his own microcomputer in 1976 using a new microprocessor, but HP was not interested in developing it. Cofounded Apple Computer with Steve Jobs and designed the Apple II, the first commercially successful personal computer. Created the specific, elegant, fully-realized engineering of a machine that ordinary people could use at home—original engineering works whose technical quality was so far above anything else available that they defined what personal computers could be for a generation. Described himself as "very shy" and said he "just wanted respect from engineers" rather than commercial success. Returned to Apple in 1982 but resisted efforts to involve him in management, retiring as an active employee in 1985.