Apple's Cook runner-up for Time's 'Person of the Year'

Technology fans might recognize one of the runners-up for Time magazine's Person of the Year. He happens to run the company that makes the iPad and iPhone.

Apple's Tim Cook is one of four runners-up for the honor, won by President Obama.

"He inherited the most valuable company in the world from one of the greatest innovators in history. In 2012 he made Apple his own," reads a description of Cook on Time's Person of the Year hub.

It has certainly been a fascinating year for Cook. The good: Apple stock peaks at over $700, three iPad models launched this year (3rd generation, 4th generation and iPad Mini), iTunes received a major overhaul, and the iPhone 5 arrived to its usual throngs of happy fans.

The not-so-good: Apple's foray into maps, that same Apple stock plunging to $532 as of the close of markets on Tuesday and, most recently, a judge dismissing Apple's request to ban Samsung products in an ongoing patent battle.