Eastman Kodak Company Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Antonio M. Perez, noted, "On behalf of Eastman Kodak Company, I am proud and delighted to congratulate Steve Sasson on being selected to receive the National Medal of Technology and Innovation, this nation’s highest honor for scientists, engineers, and inventors. Steve’s groundbreaking invention of the digital camera in 1975 unleashed the power of digital imaging for the benefit of the world. His foundational work led directly to a series of life-enriching advances in many fields beyond photography, such as medicine and exploration. I congratulate him and the entire research staff at Kodak for their work in making digital imaging a reality.”