Steve Jobs Then, Tim Cook Now; Top 10 Facts You May or May Not Know About Tim Cook

When Cook was interviewed by CNN in 2008 and asked whether he could replace Apple’s visionary CEO, Steve Jobs, Cook had replied “Come on, replace Steve? No. He's irreplaceable, that's something people have to get over. I see Steve there with gray hair in his 70s, long after I'm retired.”

Tim Cook, 50, holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Industrial Engineering from Auburn University and an MBA from Duke University where he was a Fuqua Scholar.

Here are the top 10 facts you may or may not know about Cook.

1. Apple’s new CEO, Tim Cook, has a sturdy background in supply chains and channels. He has served as the director of IBM’s North American personal computer division and also as the COO of the re-seller division of Intelligent Electronics for more than a decade.

2. Cook, in 2004, first served as the CEO of Apple Inc. for two months when Jobs was recovering from pancreatic cancer surgery. He did the same again in 2009 for several months while Jobs took a leave of absence for a liver transplant.

3. Tim Cook was recruited by Steve Jobs in 1998 as he wanted him to oversee the hardware manufacturing operations. That spot was earlier left vacant as Jobs couldn’t find the best person for the job.

4. Cook is mostly known for being the driving force behind Apple’s redesigning of its hardware supply chain. He is credited with pulling Apple out of manufacturing by closing factories and warehouses around the world that helped Apple reduce inventory levels and streamline its supply chain.

5. An Apple store manager once said that Steve Jobs maybe the face of Apple and is dedicated to the development of its products, but Cook is the person who takes all the designs and converts them into a huge sum of money for the company.

6. Cook is a fitness fanatic and enjoys hiking, cycling and going to the gym. He regularly begins sending emails at 4:30 a.m. and previously used to hold Sunday night staff meetings via phone to prepare for the coming week.

7. Cook grew up in Robertsdale, Alabama, near Mobile. His father used to be a shipyard worker while his mother was a homemaker.

8. Tim Cook was promoted as the COO of Apple in 2007.

9. Cook’s dedication toward the company has paved the way for Apple’s success over the years. Currently, the company has a profit margin that is impressive than what it initially used to be.

10. Cook was recently honored as number one in the list of the Top 50 most powerful LGBT people by Out Magazine. He also serves on the Board of directors of Nike.