This video is the first in a series of conversations about innovation with leaders in technology, and our first guest is John Warnock. With his long time business partner Chuck Geschke, John was co-founder of Adobe, inventor of PostScript, and recipient of the National Medal of Technology and Innovation, one of the nation’s highest honors bestowed on scientists, engineers and inventors. John and Chuck also were recently awarded the Marconi Prize, considered the highest honor specifically for contributions to information science and communications.

Last year at this time, John Warnock and Chuck Geschke were at the White House receiving the National Medal of Technology Innovation from President Obama.  This past weekend, they were awarded the 2010 Marconi Society Prize for their seminal contributions to publishing and imaging technology.  The annual prize – established in 1975 – recognizes scientists whose work in the fields of communications and IT advances the social, economic and cultural improvement of all humanity.  The Marconi is one of the most prestigious awards in our industry, and it was an honor to join John and Chuck at the dinner ceremony last Saturday.  They don’t like to call attention to themselves, but their remarkable partnership, defined by dedication and a willingness to take risks, has made an indelible mark on the world.

Adobe’s success is a testament to John and Chuck’s original vision.  We continue to expand the frontiers of digital experiences, building on the foundation of their pioneering software inventions.  We also retain the culture and values they instilled in Adobe from the beginning and that continue to set us apart today.  I feel fortunate to have spent a significant portion of my career working with these two industry leaders, and I know everyone at Adobe is extremely proud of them and them and their remarkable accomplishments.

When John Warnock and Chuck Geschke founded Adobe in 1982, they wanted to build a company that was technologically innovative and prosperous. They also wanted to create a workplace based on honesty, trust, and a belief in treating others with respect. It sounds simple, yet it’s extremely rare in our hyper-competitive industry and fast-paced times.

With this in mind, the Adobe Founders’ Award was created in 2001 and has become one of Adobe’s most prestigious global recognition programs. Today I had the honor of recognizing this year’s Founders’ Award recipients at our all-employee meeting — eight incredible employees who consistently exemplify Adobe’s core values of Genuine, Exceptional, Innovative and Involved throughout the year and have made a significant contribution/impact to the company.

What’s most exciting about this award is that it’s peer-nominated – employees across all organizations, geographies and levels are encouraged to recognize the importance of our values and beliefs, and reward individuals who exemplify those values.

The Founders’ Awards are a great reminder of the talented, dedicated people who choose to work at Adobe. We’re looking for more people like our Founders’ Award recipients to join us. See our career opportunities page on Adobe.com to learn more about what it’s like to work at Adobe and view our current openings.

Adobe co-founders John Warnock and Chuck Geschke received the National Medal of Technology and Innovation from President Barack Obama at a White House ceremony October 7. See the video of the ceremony (http://www.whitehouse.gov/video/President-Obama-Awards-National-Medal-of-Science-and-Medal-of-Technology/) You can skip to about 22:30 to see Warnock and Geschke accept their medals on the White House Web site.

Warnock and Geschke were honored for their “pioneering contributions that spurred the desktop publishing revolution and for changing the way people create and engage with information and entertainment across multiple mediums including print, Web and video.”

“It is a privilege to present these medals, our nation’s highest honor for scientific and technological achievement,” President Obama told John and Chuck.

Check out the news articles in the San Jose Mercury News (http://www.mercurynews.com/news/ci_13506073) and the Silicon Valley/San Jose Business Journal (http://sanjose.bizjournals.com/sanjose/stories/2009/10/05/daily57.html)

Adobe co-founders John Warnock and Chuck Geschke have been chosen to receive the nation’s highest honor bestowed on scientists, engineers and inventors — the National Medal of Technology and Innovation. President Obama will present their awards on October 7 during a White House ceremony. Check out the official press release here.

Warnock and Geschke are recognized for their pioneering contributions that spurred the desktop publishing revolution and for changing the way people create and engage with information and entertainment across multiple mediums including print, Web and video.

Other esteemed recipients this year include: Dr. Forrest M. Bird, Percussionaire Corp.; Dr. Esther Sans Takeuchi, University at Buffalo, SUNY; and IBM Corporation.

Check out the news articles in the San Jose Mercury News and nextgov.