Bill Campbell, a longtime Apple board member, has passed away after long battle with cancer, reports Re/code.Bill Campbell’s relationship with Apple dates back to 1983, when he joined the company as vice president of Marketing. Next to Apple co-founders Steve Jobs and Mike Markkula, Campbell was the longest-serving board member in the company’s history.Here's what Apple CEO Tim Cook and Campbell had to say when he retired in 2014.“Bill’s contributions to Apple are immeasurable and we owe him a huge debt of gratitude. On behalf of the board and the entire company, I want to thank him for being a leader, a mentor and a friend," said Cook. “When Bill joined Apple’s board, the company was on the brink of collapse. He not only helped Apple survive, but he’s led us to a level of success that was simply unimaginable back in 1997.”“Over the past 17 years, it’s been exciting to watch history unfold as Apple emerged as the premier technology company in the world. Working with Steve and Tim has been a joy," said Campbell. “The company today is in the best shape that I have seen it, and Tim’s leadership of his strong team will allow Apple to continue to be great going forward.”Campbell ran companies like Intuit and held key positions at Apple, Claris, and Go. He also served on various boards. Many tech leaders including Steve Jobs, Larry Page, and Jeff Bezos looked to him for advice, leading to his nickname, 'The Coach'. Our sincerest condolences to his friends and family.