Steve Appleton, chairman and CEO of Micron Technology died in a plane crash Friday morning. The small plane crashed near Boise, Idaho. Appleton was 51 years old. The news was disclosed in a company statement.
Appleton was alone, flying a small Lanceair experimental aircraft, according to the Boise Weekly. The plane reportedly crashed around 9 a.m. between two runways.
In its statement, Micron said:
Our hearts go out to his wife, Dalynn, his children and his family during this tragic time. Steve’s passion and energy left an indelible mark on Micron, the Idaho community and the technology industry at large.
Trading on Micron shares was halted on the news. In 1984, Appleton was injured in another plane crash when his stunt plane crashed in the desert near Boise, according to this EETimes report.
Appleton joined the Boise-based semiconductor company in 1983 and was named president and COO in 1991. Three years later, he was appointed CEO, according to his company biography.
In addition to his Micron duties, Appleton served on the board of the Semiconductor Industry Association and of National Semiconductor. He was also a member of the World Semiconductor Council.
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