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{{Short description|American businessman and diplomat (1936–2009)}}
{{other people||Richard Egan (disambiguation){{!}}Richard Egan}}
{{Infobox officeholder
{{Infobox officeholder
|name = Richard J. Egan
|name = Richard J. Egan
|image = Amb. Richard Egan.jpg
|image = Amb. Richard Egan.jpg
|caption =
|caption =
|office = [[United States Ambassador to Ireland]]
|office = [[United States Ambassador to Ireland]]
|president = [[George W. Bush]]
|president = [[George W. Bush]]
|term_start = September 10, 2001
|term_start = September 10, 2001
|term_end = January 31, 2003
|term_end = January 31, 2003
|predecessor = [[Mike Sullivan (governor)|Michael J. Sullivan]]
|predecessor = [[Mike Sullivan (Wyoming politician)|Mike Sullivan]]
|successor = [[James C. Kenny]]
|successor = [[James C. Kenny]]
|birth_date = {{Birth date|1936|02|28}}
|birth_date = {{Birth date|1936|02|28}}
|birth_place = [[Milton, Massachusetts]]
|birth_place = [[Milton, Massachusetts]]
|death_date = {{Death date and age|2009|8|28|1936|02|28}}
|death_date = {{Death date and age|2009|8|28|1936|02|28}}
|death_place = [[Boston|Boston, Massachusetts]]
|death_place = [[Boston|Boston, Massachusetts]]
|alma_mater = [[Northeastern University]]
|alma_mater = [[Northeastern University]]
|nationality = [[United States|American]]
|nationality = [[United States|American]]
|allegiance = {{flag|United States}}
|allegiance = {{flag|United States}}
|branch = {{flag|United States Marine Corps}}
|branch = {{flag|United States Marine Corps}}
|battles = [[Korean War]]
|battles = [[Korean War]]
|party = [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]]
|party = [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]]
⚫
|known_for = Co-founder of [[EMC Corporation]]
|occupation = Businessman
|spouse = Maureen Fitzgerald
⚫
|known_for = Co-founder of [[EMC Corporation]]
|children = 5
|children = 5
}}
}}
'''Richard John Egan''' (February 28, 1936 – August 28, 2009)<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.nndb.com/people/246/000118889/ |title=Richard J. Egan |website=[[NNDB]]}}</ref> was an [[United States|American]] businessman, political fundraiser and [[US Ambassador to Ireland]].
'''Richard John Egan''' (February 28, 1936 – August 28, 2009)<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.nndb.com/people/246/000118889/ |title=Richard J. Egan |website=[[NNDB]]}}</ref> was an American business executive, political fundraiser, and [[United States Ambassador to Ireland]] (2001–2003).


==Career==
==Career==
Egan was born in [[Milton, Massachusetts]], and attended high school in the [[Dorchester, Boston|Dorchester]] neighborhood of [[Boston]]. He was a helicopter crewman in the [[United States Marine Corps]] during the end of the [[Korean War]], then received a bachelor's in [[electrical engineering]] from [[Northeastern University]] in 1961 and a master's at [[Massachusetts Institute of Technology|M.I.T.]]<ref name="mellor" /> He later was on the team that helped develop [[Project Apollo]] memory systems for [[NASA]], and worked at [[Lockheed Martin]], [[Honeywell]], and [[Intel]] before founding [[EMC Corporation]].<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/10325376/richard_egan_obit/ |title=Richard Egan (1936–2009) Self-made billionaire, ambassador to Ireland |agency=[[Associated Press|AP]] |url-access=limited |newspaper=[[Chicago Tribune]] |via=newspapers.com |date=August 31, 2009 |access-date=April 17, 2017}}</ref>
A year after receiving a degree in [[electrical engineering]] from [[Northeastern University]] in 1962, he was on the team that helped develop [[Project Apollo]] memory systems for [[NASA]]. He was a major donor to the state-of-the-art Egan Engineering and Science Research Center on Northeastern's campus. He served as helicopter crewman in the [[United States Marine Corps]] during the end of the [[Korean War]], he worked at [[Lockheed Martin]], [[Honeywell]], and [[Intel]] before founding [[EMC Corporation]].


In 1979, he founded EMC with [[Roger Marino]], his college roommate. The two initially sold office furniture in order to raise money to build the company with only a handful of employees. EMC eventually became Massachusetts's largest technology company and had more than 40,000 employees by 2009.
In 1979, he founded EMC with [[Roger Marino]], who had been a classmate at Northeastern. The two initially sold office furniture in order to raise money to build the company with only a handful of employees. EMC eventually became Massachusetts' largest technology company and had more than 40,000 employees by 2009. In the 2005 list of the [[Forbes 400|''Forbes'' 400]], Egan was ranked as the 258th richest American, with a net worth of approximately $1.3 billion.<ref>{{cite magazine |url=https://www.forbes.com/lists/2005/54/test/O2YL.html|title=#258 Richard J Egan |magazine=[[Forbes]] |date=2005}}</ref>


==Philanthropy==
⚫
In 1994, Inc. Magazine named Egan "Master Entrepreneur of the Year." He also received the Medal of Honor Society's Patriot Award, the [[Jewish National Fund Tree of Life Award]] and was one of [[Irish America magazine|Irish America]] magazine's "Top 100."
⚫
Egan was a leader in numerous educational, business and technology groups, serving as director of the Massachusetts High Technology Council and Business Roundtable, director of the [[New York Stock Exchange]] Advisory Board, and founder of the Hopkinton Technology for Education Foundation in [[Hopkinton, Massachusetts]], where EMC was based. He donated part of his fortune to the [[Boy Scouts of America]] as well as health and education groups. He played critical role in the creation of the Maureen and Richard J. Egan Engineering/Science Research Center, dedicated in October 1996 at Northeastern University, his [[alma mater]].<ref>{{cite news |url=http://huntnewsnu.com/2004/11/longtime-friends-share-campus-namesakes/ |title=Longtime friends share campus namesakes |first=Hailey |last=Heinz |website=[[The Huntington News]] |date=November 2, 2004 |access-date=April 29, 2017}}</ref>


He started an engineering center in [[Israel]] to help develop EMC's products and he was credited with greatly improving [[Science and technology in Israel|Israel's technology infrastructure]].
Egan retired on January 17, 2001 as Chairman Emeritus in order to accept an appointment by President George W. Bush to serve as the [[United States Ambassador to Ireland]]. On March 14, 2001, he was nominated and he served from August 2001 to December 2002.<ref name=egan_obit>{{cite web|last=Mellor|first=Chris|title=EMC co-founder kills himself|url=http://www.theregister.co.uk/2009/08/30/richard_egan_obituary/|publisher=[[The Register]]|date=August 30, 2009|accessdate=2 March 2011}}</ref>


==Ireland==
⚫
Egan was a leader in numerous educational, business and technology groups, serving as director of the Massachusetts High Technology Council and Business Roundtable, director of the [[New York Stock Exchange]] Advisory Board, and founder of the Hopkinton Technology for Education Foundation in [[Hopkinton, Massachusetts]], where EMC is based. He donated part of his fortune to the [[Boy Scouts of America]] as well as health and education groups. He played critical role in the creation of the Maureen and Richard J Egan Engineering Science Research Center at Northeastern University, his [[alma mater]]. He also started an engineering center in [[Israel]] to help develop the company’s products and was credited with greatly improving [[Science and technology in Israel|Israel’s technology infrastructure]].
⚫
Following significant fundraising for [[George W. Bush]]'s [[George W. Bush presidential campaign, 2000|2000 presidential campaign]], Egan was one of 19 [[Bush Pioneer]]s to become an ambassador; his sons Christopher and Michael were also Pioneers.


Egan retired from EMC on January 17, 2001, becoming Chairman Emeritus, in order to accept an appointment by President Bush to serve as the US Ambassador to [[Republic of Ireland|Ireland]].<ref>{{cite press release |url=https://georgewbush-whitehouse.archives.gov/news/releases/2001/03/20010315.html |title=President Bush to Nominate Egan to be Ambassador to Ireland |publisher=[[whitehouse.gov]] |via=archives.gov |date=March 14, 2001}}</ref> After confirmation by the [[United States Senate|Senate]], he presented his credentials to [[President of Ireland]] [[Mary McAleese]] on September 10, 2001.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/us-envoy-to-meet-mcaleese-26250664.html |title=US envoy to meet McAleese |newspaper=[[Irish Independent]] |first=Jerome |last=Reilly |date=September 9, 2001 |access-date=April 29, 2017}}</ref> He had the official title of Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary, and served in the role until January 31, 2003.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://history.state.gov/departmenthistory/people/egan-richard-j |title=Richard J. Egan (1936–2009) |website=history.state.gov |access-date=April 29, 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://ie.usembassy.gov/our-relationship/policy-history/embassy-fact-sheets/ |title=Former U.S. Ambassadors to Ireland |website=ie.usembassy.gov |access-date=April 29, 2017 |archive-date=May 17, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170517002634/https://ie.usembassy.gov/our-relationship/policy-history/embassy-fact-sheets/ |url-status=dead }}</ref>
Egan also received honorary degrees from [[Northeastern University]], [[New England Institute of Technology]] and the [[University of Ulster]], supported numerous charities and established the Hopkinton Technology for Education Foundation.


==Politics==
== Recognition ==
⚫
In 1994, [[Inc. (magazine)|''Inc.'']] magazine named Egan "Master Entrepreneur of the Year." He also received the Medal of Honor Society's Patriot Award, the [[Jewish National Fund Tree of Life Award]], and was one of [[Irish America magazine|''Irish America'']] magazine's "Top 100". Egan received honorary degrees from [[Northeastern University]], [[New England Institute of Technology]], and the [[University of Ulster]].{{Citation needed|date=June 2020}}
⚫
Following significant fundraising for [[George W. Bush presidential campaign, 2000|George W. Bush's presidential campaign]] in 2000, Egan was one of 19 [[Bush Pioneer]]s to become an [[ambassador]]; his sons Christopher and Michael are also Pioneers.

==Net worth==
In its 2005 list of the [[Forbes 400]], Egan was ranked as the 258th richest American, with a net worth of approximately $1.3 billion.<ref>{{cite magazine |url=http://www.forbes.com/lists/2005/54/test/O2YL.html|title=#258 Richard J Egan |magazine=[[Forbes]] |date=2005}}</ref>


==Death==
==Death==
A long-time resident of [[Hopkinton, Massachusetts]], Egan committed suicide at his Boston residence on August 28, 2009 aged 73, while suffering from Stage IV terminal [[lung cancer]].<ref name="egan_obit" /> According to his family, he also suffered from [[emphysema]] and [[diabetes]].<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2009/08/29/emc_cofounder_richard_egan_dies/ |title=EMC cofounder Richard Egan dies |first=Bryan |last=Marquard |newspaper=[[The Boston Globe]] |date=August 29, 2009}}</ref> He was survived by his wife, Maureen, and their five children.
Egan committed suicide at his Boston residence on August 28, 2009, aged 73, while suffering from [[Cancer staging|Stage IV]] terminal [[lung cancer]].<ref name=mellor>{{cite web|last=Mellor|first=Chris|title=EMC co-founder kills himself|url=https://www.theregister.co.uk/2009/08/30/richard_egan_obituary/|website=[[The Register]]|date=August 30, 2009|access-date=March 2, 2011}}</ref> According to his family, he also suffered from [[emphysema]] and [[diabetes]].<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2009/08/29/emc_cofounder_richard_egan_dies/ |title=EMC cofounder Richard Egan dies |first=Bryan |last=Marquard |newspaper=[[The Boston Globe]] |date=August 29, 2009}}</ref> He was survived by his wife, Maureen, and their five children.


==References==
==References==
{{reflist}}
{{reflist|2}}


==Further reading==
==Further reading==
* {{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/10325376/richard_egan_obit/ |title=Richard Egan (1936–2009) Self-made billionaire, ambassador to Ireland |agency=[[Associated Press|AP]] |url-access=limited |newspaper=[[Chicago Tribune]] |via=newspapers.com |date=August 31, 2009 |accessdate=April 17, 2017}}
* {{cite interview |url=http://archive.computerhistory.org/resources/text/Oral_History/Egan_Richard/102701999.05.01.acc.pdf |title=Oral History of Richard Egan |website=[[Computer History Museum]] |interviewer=Gardner Hendrie |location=[[Boston]] |date=September 17, 2008 |accessdate=April 29, 2017}}
* {{cite press release |url=https://www.emc.com/about/news/press/2009/20090829-01.htm |title=EMC Leaders Mourn Passing of Co-Founder Dick Egan, the ‘E’ in EMC |publisher=[[EMC Corporation]] |date=August 29, 2009}}
* {{cite press release |url=https://www.emc.com/about/news/press/2009/20090829-01.htm |title=EMC Leaders Mourn Passing of Co-Founder Dick Egan, the 'E' in EMC |publisher=[[EMC Corporation]] |date=August 29, 2009}}
⚫
* {{cite book |title=Innovation, Passion, Success: The EMC Story |publisher=Write Stuff Enterprises, LLC |date=December 30, 2010 |isbn=978-1932022162 |first=Jeffrey L. |last=Rodengen}}
* {{cite press release |url=https://georgewbush-whitehouse.archives.gov/news/releases/2001/03/20010315.html |title=President Bush to Nominate Egan to be Ambassador to Ireland |publisher=[[whitehouse.gov]] |via=archives.gov |date=March 14, 2001}}
⚫
* {{cite book |url=https://www.amazon.com/Innovation-Passion-Success-EMC-Story/dp/1932022163 |title=Innovation, Passion, Success: The EMC Story |publisher=Write Stuff Enterprises, LLC |date=December 30, 2010 |isbn=978-1932022162 |first=Jeffrey L. |last=Rodengen}}


==External links==
==External links==
{{Portal|Biography}}
{{Portal|Biography|Politics}}
* {{cite web |url=https://history.state.gov/departmenthistory/people/chiefsofmission/ireland |title=Chiefs of Mission for Ireland |publisher=[[United States Department of State]] |accessdate=April 17, 2017}}
* {{cite web |url=http://www.northeastern.edu/egan/ |title=Egan Research Center |website=northeastern.edu |access-date=April 29, 2017}}


{{S-start}}
{{S-start}}
{{s-dip}}
{{s-dip}}
{{succession box|title=[[United States Ambassador to Ireland]]|before=[[Mike Sullivan (Wyoming)|Michael J. Sullivan]]||after=[[James C. Kenny]]|years= September 10, 2001 – January 31, 2003}}
{{succession box|title=[[United States Ambassador to Ireland]]|before=[[Mike Sullivan (governor)|Michael J. Sullivan]]||after=[[James C. Kenny]]|years=2001–2003}}
{{S-end}}
{{S-end}}
{{US Ambassadors to Ireland}}
{{US Ambassadors to Ireland}}
{{EMC}}

{{authority control}}


{{DEFAULTSORT:Egan, Richard}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Egan, Richard}}
[[Category:1936 births]]
[[Category:1936 births]]
[[Category:2009 deaths]]
[[Category:2009 suicides]]
[[Category:Ambassadors of the United States to Ireland]]
[[Category:Ambassadors of the United States to Ireland]]
[[Category:American billionaires]]
[[Category:American billionaires]]
[[Category:American businesspeople]]
[[Category:Engineers from Massachusetts]]
[[Category:American engineers]]
[[Category:United States Marine Corps personnel of the Korean War]]
[[Category:Northeastern University alumni]]
[[Category:Northeastern University alumni]]
[[Category:United States Marines]]
[[Category:United States Marines]]
[[Category:Male suicides]]
[[Category:Dell EMC]]
⚫
[[Category:EMC Corporation]]
[[Category:Businesspeople from Boston]]
[[Category:Businesspeople from Boston]]
[[Category:People from Hopkinton, Massachusetts]]
[[Category:People from Hopkinton, Massachusetts]]
[[Category:Businesspeople who committed suicide]]
[[Category:Engineers who committed suicide]]
[[Category:Diplomats who committed suicide]]
[[Category:Suicides by firearm in Massachusetts]]
[[Category:Suicides by firearm in Massachusetts]]
[[Category:People from Milton, Massachusetts]]
[[Category:People from Milton, Massachusetts]]
[[Category:American military personnel of the Korean War]]
[[Category:People from Dorchester, Boston]]
[[Category:20th-century American engineers]]
[[Category:20th-century American businesspeople]]
⚫
[[Category:2009 deaths]]

Latest revision as of 06:53, 30 January 2024

Richard J. Egan
United States Ambassador to Ireland
In office
September 10, 2001 – January 31, 2003
PresidentGeorge W. Bush
Preceded byMike Sullivan
Succeeded byJames C. Kenny
Personal details
Born(1936-02-28)February 28, 1936
Milton, Massachusetts
DiedAugust 28, 2009(2009-08-28) (aged 73)
Boston, Massachusetts
NationalityAmerican
Political partyRepublican
SpouseMaureen Fitzgerald
Children5
Alma materNortheastern University
Known forCo-founder of EMC Corporation
Military service
Allegiance Vereinigte Staaten
Branch/service United States Marine Corps
Battles/warsKorean War

Richard John Egan (February 28, 1936 – August 28, 2009)[1] was an American business executive, political fundraiser, and United States Ambassador to Ireland (2001–2003).

Career

[edit]

Egan was born in Milton, Massachusetts, and attended high school in the Dorchester neighborhood of Boston. He was a helicopter crewman in the United States Marine Corps during the end of the Korean War, then received a bachelor's in electrical engineering from Northeastern University in 1961 and a master's at M.I.T.[2] He later was on the team that helped develop Project Apollo memory systems for NASA, and worked at Lockheed Martin, Honeywell, and Intel before founding EMC Corporation.[3]

In 1979, he founded EMC with Roger Marino, who had been a classmate at Northeastern. The two initially sold office furniture in order to raise money to build the company with only a handful of employees. EMC eventually became Massachusetts' largest technology company and had more than 40,000 employees by 2009. In the 2005 list of the Forbes 400, Egan was ranked as the 258th richest American, with a net worth of approximately $1.3 billion.[4]

Philanthropy

[edit]

Egan was a leader in numerous educational, business and technology groups, serving as director of the Massachusetts High Technology Council and Business Roundtable, director of the New York Stock Exchange Advisory Board, and founder of the Hopkinton Technology for Education Foundation in Hopkinton, Massachusetts, where EMC was based. He donated part of his fortune to the Boy Scouts of America as well as health and education groups. He played critical role in the creation of the Maureen and Richard J. Egan Engineering/Science Research Center, dedicated in October 1996 at Northeastern University, his alma mater.[5]

He started an engineering center in Israel to help develop EMC's products and he was credited with greatly improving Israel's technology infrastructure.

Irland

[edit]

Following significant fundraising for George W. Bush's 2000 presidential campaign, Egan was one of 19 Bush Pioneers to become an ambassador; his sons Christopher and Michael were also Pioneers.

Egan retired from EMC on January 17, 2001, becoming Chairman Emeritus, in order to accept an appointment by President Bush to serve as the US Ambassador to Ireland.[6] After confirmation by the Senate, he presented his credentials to President of Ireland Mary McAleese on September 10, 2001.[7] He had the official title of Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary, and served in the role until January 31, 2003.[8][9]

Recognition

[edit]

In 1994, Inc. magazine named Egan "Master Entrepreneur of the Year." He also received the Medal of Honor Society's Patriot Award, the Jewish National Fund Tree of Life Award, and was one of Irish America magazine's "Top 100". Egan received honorary degrees from Northeastern University, New England Institute of Technology, and the University of Ulster.[citation needed]

Death

[edit]

Egan committed suicide at his Boston residence on August 28, 2009, aged 73, while suffering from Stage IV terminal lung cancer.[2] According to his family, he also suffered from emphysema and diabetes.[10] He was survived by his wife, Maureen, and their five children.

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "Richard J. Egan". NNDB.
  2. ^ a b Mellor, Chris (August 30, 2009). "EMC co-founder kills himself". The Register. Retrieved March 2, 2011.
  3. ^ "Richard Egan (1936–2009) Self-made billionaire, ambassador to Ireland". Chicago Tribune. AP. August 31, 2009. Retrieved April 17, 2017 – via newspapers.com.
  4. ^ "#258 Richard J Egan". Forbes. 2005.
  5. ^ Heinz, Hailey (November 2, 2004). "Longtime friends share campus namesakes". The Huntington News. Retrieved April 29, 2017.
  6. ^ "President Bush to Nominate Egan to be Ambassador to Ireland" (Press release). whitehouse.gov. March 14, 2001 – via archives.gov.
  7. ^ Reilly, Jerome (September 9, 2001). "US envoy to meet McAleese". Irish Independent. Retrieved April 29, 2017.
  8. ^ "Richard J. Egan (1936–2009)". history.state.gov. Retrieved April 29, 2017.
  9. ^ "Former U.S. Ambassadors to Ireland". ie.usembassy.gov. Archived from the original on May 17, 2017. Retrieved April 29, 2017.
  10. ^ Marquard, Bryan (August 29, 2009). "EMC cofounder Richard Egan dies". The Boston Globe.

Further reading

[edit]
[edit]
Diplomatic posts
Preceded by United States Ambassador to Ireland
2001–2003 		Succeeded by
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Richard_J._Egan&oldid=1200777879"