An Israeli inventor is being awarded with the highest honor that the American government can bestow upon an innovator. 

Dr.Eli Harari, founder and former chairman & CEO of SanDisk, an Israeli who lives in America, is to be awarded with the National Medal of Technology and Innovation.

This award is America’s highest recognition for achievement and leadership in advancing the fields of science and technology.

“These scholars and innovators have expanded our understanding of the world, made invaluable contributions to their fields and helped improve countless lives. Our nation has been enriched by their achievements and by all the scientists and technologists across America dedicated to discovery, inquiry and invention,”U.S. President Barack Obama said in Washington on Friday, when announcing the recipients.

Over the past 26 years, Harari and the Sandisk Corporation have developed the flash memory drive, otherwise known as the disk-on-key. This development has revolutionized almost every field of technology, enabling the advancement of various innovative projects.

‘Connected in Ways that Would Not be Possible’

“We’re now connected in ways that would not be possible without the technologies that Eli helped pioneer, and we’re well positioned to take on new market segments, such as enterprise data centers,” declared Sanjay Mehrotra, co-founder, president and CEO of SanDisk. “Eli has had a profound impact on the entire technology landscape, and in doing so, has truly changed the world as we experience it today. His lifelong intellectual and technical achievements are well-deserving of the National Medal of Technology and Innovation.”

From a Silicon Valley start-up in 1988, SanDisk now employs more than 8,000 people worldwide and has more than 5,000 patents and $6.5 billion in annual sales.

The National Medal of Technology and Innovation is an honor granted by the President of the United States to American inventors and innovators who have made significant contributions to the development of new and important technology.

Author: United with Israel Staff