SUN VALLEY -- The invitation was extended to the White House about two years ago. The RSVP came back this week in the form of a personal visit from President Bush.

CEO Steve Appleton talked with NewsChannel 7 about hosting George W. Bush.

Paul Boehlke-KTVB

Micron CEO Steve Appleton

"It may be the only time in my life where I actually use the phrase, 'It is my pleasure to introduce the president of the United States. You know it's not a common phrase I use every morning," said Appleton.

“Thank you all. Thank you for your warm welcome. It's good to be here at Micron Technologies," said President Bush.

"It may be the only time in our history something like that happens, you just never know," said Appleton.

For Micron Technology, it was an historic event. President Bush finally accepting an invitation to visit one of Micron's state-of-the-art facilities. 

Micron got the RSVP just one week before the president and his extensive entourage descended on the company's fabrication plant in Manassas, Virginia, getting a behind the scenes tour of memory chips in the making.

“I appreciate Pat, the site director who gave me a tour. He tried to explain all the big machines that were there to a history major. I played like I understood. It's a really interesting place you work in,” said Bush.

"He was great, he was great. He was very personable with the employees, in fact when we looked in the windows the cleanroom, we'd bring a wafer over and he'd act like he was looking in a mirror and he'd laugh with the employees, and I showed him the pills you can take for the medical applications and he acted like he took and those kinds of things, so it was great," said Appleton.

Not only did the president tour the site, he staged a budget-based speech there, using Micron as an example of a company contributing to the American economy through continued investment and job creation. Shining an international spotlight on this Boise-based company and its CEO, Steve Appleton.

"Obviously it's humbling to spend time with the president, but in addition to that, it was very gratifying and we're proud of the fact he did come to our site, he spent the time with us because of the significance. It's a rare event, I think for any company," said Appleton.

During its annual analyst meeting in Sun Valley today, Micron echoed warnings by other memory chip makers that prices of DRAM chips would drop up to 20 percent in the current quarter.

While NAND flash products would tumble up to 40 percent.

Stocks slipped 34 cents today down to $12.56 a share.