Ronald Wayne

Ronald Wayne
Wayne in 2024
Born	Ronald Gerald Wayne (1934-05-17) May 17, 1934 (age 90) Cleveland, Ohio, U.S.
Known for	Co-founder of Apple Inc.
Website	Official website

Ronald Gerald Wayne (Ronald G.Wayne) (born May 17, 1934) is an American retired electronics industry pioneer. On April 1, 1976, Wayne formalized a partnership agreement with Steve Wozniak and Steve Jobs, establishing Apple Computer Company (now Apple Inc.). The agreement allocated 45% of the partnership to Wozniak, 45% to Jobs, and 10% to Wayne. Responsibilities were divided as follows: Wozniak would handle all electrical engineering, Jobs would focus on electrical engineering and marketing, and Wayne would oversee mechanical engineering and documentation. This structure, designed by Wayne, was intended to provide mentorship, prototype development, oversight, and documentation for the fledgling company.

Despite his strong belief in Apple’s potential, Wayne decided to step away just 12 days after its formation to pursue opportunities in a field that had long captivated his interest: the transition from mechanical to electronic slot machines. While some have questioned his decision to exit the company so early, Wayne has consistently maintained that, given the circumstances and information available at the time, it was the most prudent choice. At the time, personal computers for home use were a nascent and untested market fraught with significant risks.

One such risk arose from the Byte Shop, an unproven retail sales channel, which placed a large order for 200 Apple I systems. To fulfill the order, Jobs secured a $15,000 line of credit (equivalent to $84,000 in 2025) from Cramer Electronics to purchase the necessary components. As the only partner with personal assets, Wayne faced substantial financial exposure if the venture failed. Additionally, he was reluctant to limit himself to the role of chief documentation officer or any position that might constrain his creative and engineering capabilities, which thrived on designing innovative solutions and creating entire systems from scratch.

To mitigate his financial risk, the trio reconvened on April 12, 1976, to sign an amendment, drafted by Wayne, to modify the Apple Computer Company Partnership Agreement. This amendment, which Wayne filed with the Santa Clara County Recorder’s Office, relinquished his 10% stake in the company back to Jobs and Wozniak in exchange for $800 (equivalent to $4,390 in 2024) and indemnity from any future creditor claims. It took several months after the agreement for Wayne to receive the $800 payment, formalizing his release from financial responsibility. About a year later, he accepted a final payment of $1,500 (equivalent to $8,231 in 2024) to forfeit any potential future claims against the newly incorporated Apple Inc.