Back when I worked for Waferscale Integration, which was later purchased by STMicroelectronics, the CEO Mike Callahan allegedly said something that he likely hoped everyone would later forget. You see, he was originally against using flash memory in what would later become the company's Programmable System Device SoCs because he felt the technology was never going to make it. Well, as the story goes, some people whom have since gone on to such prominent Flash companies as SanDisk, apparently convinced him otherwise. 

I think it's quite safe to say they made the correct decision as Flash has indeed "made it" many times over. Last year, according to the World Semiconductor Trade Statistics (WSTS), the worldwide Flash market exceeded the $22 Billion mark. Ah how CEO hindsight can always seem to be traced back to Foot in Mouth Disease.