Micron's CEO Dies in Small Plane Crash

Micron Technology, Inc. Chairman and Chief Executive Steven R. Appleton died in a small plane crash that occurred shortly before 9 a.m. Friday at a Boise, Idaho, airport, the company's board of directors confirmed in a statement Friday.

He was 51 years old.

"Our hearts go out to his wife, Dalynn, his children and his family during this tragic time," the announcement read. "Steve's passion and energy left an indelible mark on Micron...and the technology industry at large."

According to the Wall Street Journal, Appleton joined Micron in 1983 and became CEO 10 years later. He also was the recipient of the Robert N. Noyce award—the industry's highest honor.

The company expected to provide additional information later Friday.

It remains to be seen what kind of impact Appleton's death will have on the company, which is the second-largest employer in the City of Manassas with nearly 1,600 workers reported at its Manassas chip production plant in February 2011.

showed the economic benefits of Micron's presence in Manassas. Micron paid a total of nearly $5.6 million in taxes to the city in fiscal year 2009, including $4.1 million in property taxes on machinery and tools. The real estate property tax paid by Micron that year was $1.4 million, the report showed.

Appleton's death comes at a time of change for the company, which has been working to modify its operations to focus more on a memory used in smartphones and tablets, the WSJ reported. The company's president and chief operating officer also announced last week that he plans to retire at the end of August. 

According to the company's website, Micron "manufactures memory chips used in cell phones, mobile music and video players, notebook computers and more." Micron's Manassas location is a premier 300mm wafer fabrication facility deploying the world's most advanced memory technology.

As a leading compnay in the Northern Virginia region, the tech company reaches out to local and regional schools and universities to allow advancement in education primarily in the areas of math, science and technology in order to build better communities and workforce, its website states.