We've been hearing for years about Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg's fascination with and affinity for Apple chief Steve Jobs. Yesterday, Bryan Veloso, a Facebook Designer from 2005 to 2006, provided even more insight about Zuckerberg's fan boy status than we've previously had.

"When Aaron Sittig and I were the only designers in late 2005, he would hold his design meetings with us in that classic 'aggressive' Steve Jobs-style," Veloso admits. "It was during one of those meetings where I remember him first uttering the phrase, 'I'm CEO, *****...'" It was that very phrase that was believed to have shown up on the earliest of business cards that Zuckerberg himself carried. In David Kirkpatrick’s book The Facebook Effect, the existence of those business cards was confirmed:

Despite Zuckerberg's undeniable respect for Steve Jobs, some in the media has taken great interest in at least trying to present both men as new rivals in some ways - a presentation that, to me at least, makes very little sense given that both men essentially succeeded doing two completely different things. Still, it's a classic case of teacher vs. student - yesterday's titan squaring off against the new industry giant. Consequently, whenever the opportunity presents itself, some are always quick to point out that last year Zuckerberg came in 35th on the Forbes list of richest Americans, while Steve Jobs placed 42nd.

As far as anyone can actually tell, Steve Jobs and Mark Zuckerberg may not be drinkin' buddies, but they share a mutual respect for one another - so much so that, as the LA Times reported last fall, Jobs has allegedly welcomed Zuckerberg to his home for dinner and discussion, an invitation very few people in this world can boast of having ever received.

Source: Washington Post