Let's have a moment of silence for the passing of a business giant.
Jerry York has left this world behind at the age of 71. He is perhaps best known for his involvement in the auto industry, where he worked for Ford
You might also know him as a longtime board member at Apple
Losing someone who was the chair of two important committees as well as a strong leader with decades of multi-industry experience is a serious blow to any company. Apple's cult of Jobs still requires a few supporting actors, and York had been a big one for more than a decade.
But I wouldn't worry too much about Apple. It is an industry giant with a brand name that stretches across generations and industries (a few scandals notwithstanding) and should have no trouble attracting a replacement with the requisite skills. After losing Google
It makes sense to invite COO and former interim CEO Tim Cook to board meetings, but Apple likes to think big and probably won't go the obvious route. Co-founder and Dancing With the Stars foot-flapper Steve Wozniak would be a popular and quirky choice, but the other Steve wouldn't do much to replace York's financial expertise.
Perhaps Jobs could pull some strings at Walt Disney
But when's the last time Apple did anything sensible? Gather around the comments water cooler below and let the speculation about York's and Schmidt's replacements begin.