Imagine working at a company longer than its founder did. Chris Espinosa, employee number 8, joined Apple when he was just 14 years old while still in school. When Apple handed out salary codes, Espinosa arrived late because he was getting out of school at 2 p.m. and was given one of the last numbers. Now, at 61, he’s one of the most recognized personalities in the company and has no intention of retiring.
There are many similar examples, such as the case of Walter Orthmann, a Brazilian worker at the textile company ReneauxView who held the Guinness World Record for the longest career at a single company. However, things at Apple are much more complex. The technology industry moves at breakneck speed, and staying within the same company by moving from one position to another demonstrates a great capacity for adaptation and unparalleled loyalty.
This is the story of the eighth employee hired by Apple, a legend within the company founded by Steve Wozniak, Steve Jobs, and Ron Wayne, which today is the most valuable brand on the planet.
How a 14-Year-Old Started Working at Apple
Espinosa was born on September 18, 1961, and his story is quite remarkable. He first met Jobs at Paul Terrell’s legendary Byte Shop, which was the first retailer to sell an Apple computer. Terrell convinced Jobs to sell assembled systems instead of bare boards, and the rest is history.
Together with Wozniak, Jobs was promoting the Apple I, spending time in a garage that had been converted into a concept home. Despite teachers at Homestead High School advising Espinosa to avoid hanging out with those “crazy people,” he joined Apple’s publishing department after Jobs convinced him to leave Berkeley. In the summer of 1976, at just 14 years old, Espinosa became employee number 8 at Apple.
His journey began with writing BASIC programs in Jobs’ garage. From those early days in programming to today, with a brief hiatus to study at the University of California, Berkeley, advised by Andy Hertzfeld. Espinosa is 62 years old and still going strong with Apple.
Espinosa’s relationship with Jobs was always cordial, and his net worth is currently estimated at $66 million. However, he was the victim of a couple of suspicious moves on the part of the founders. For example, Espinosa didn’t participate in the IPO, nor was he promoted at the same rate as other seniors.
What Does Chris Espinosa Look Like Today?
Let’s not dwell on the past. Over the past four decades, Espinosa’s been a part of the UX, HyperCard, and Taligent teams at Apple. He went from being an AppleScript engineer, supporting Mac OS X, to becoming a significant figure in the development of the iOS Family Sharing system and the iCloud department. Espinosa is not only Apple’s longest-serving employee, but also a symbol of commitment, loyalty, and professionalism.
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It’s no surprise Espinosa is a regular attendee at the Worldwide Developers Conference, with almost 50 years of experience at the company. Interestingly, despite Jobs’ iconic status, due to his departure to found NeXT and its subsequent struggles, he spent less time at Apple than Espinosa did, only 24 years.
This article was written by Isra Fernandez and originally published in Spanish on Applesfera.
Image | Meredith Espinosa
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