Richard J. Egan facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Richard J. Egan
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| United States Ambassador to Ireland | |
| In office September 10, 2001 – January 31, 2003 |
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| President | George W. Bush |
| Preceded by | Mike Sullivan |
| Succeeded by | James C. Kenny |
| Personal details | |
| Born | February 28, 1936 Milton, Massachusetts |
| Died | August 28, 2009 (aged 73) Boston, Massachusetts |
| Nationality | American |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse | Maureen Fitzgerald |
| Children | 5 |
| Alma mater | Northeastern University |
| Known for | Co-founder of EMC Corporation |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance |  United States |
| Branch/service |  United States Marine Corps |
| Battles/wars | Korean War |
Richard John Egan (born February 28, 1936 – died August 28, 2009) was an important American businessman. He also helped raise money for political campaigns and served as the United States Ambassador to Ireland from 2001 to 2003.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Richard Egan was born in Milton, Massachusetts. He went to high school in the Dorchester area of Boston.
He served in the United States Marine Corps as a helicopter crewman. This was during the end of the Korean War. After his military service, he went to college.
Egan earned a bachelor's degree in electrical engineering from Northeastern University in 1961. He then got a master's degree from M.I.T..
Building a Tech Company
Richard Egan was part of a team that helped create memory systems for NASA's Project Apollo. This project aimed to send humans to the Moon. He also worked at big companies like Lockheed Martin, Honeywell, and Intel.
In 1979, he started a company called EMC Corporation with Roger Marino. Roger was a classmate from Northeastern University. They began by selling office furniture to earn money to build their new company.
EMC Corporation grew to become the largest technology company in Massachusetts. By 2009, it had more than 40,000 employees. Richard Egan became a very wealthy person. In 2005, Forbes magazine listed him as the 258th richest American. His wealth was about $1.3 billion.
Giving Back to the Community
Richard Egan was a leader in many groups focused on education, business, and technology. He was a director for the Massachusetts High Technology Council. He also served on the New York Stock Exchange Advisory Board.
He started the Hopkinton Technology for Education Foundation. This foundation was in Hopkinton, Massachusetts, where EMC was located. Egan gave a lot of his money to the Boy Scouts of America. He also supported health and education groups.
He played a key role in creating the Maureen and Richard J. Egan Engineering/Science Research Center. This center was opened in October 1996 at Northeastern University. This was his old university, also known as his alma mater.
Egan also started an engineering center in Israel. This center helped develop products for EMC. He is known for greatly improving Israel's technology industry.
Serving as an Ambassador
Richard Egan helped raise a lot of money for George W. Bush's presidential campaign in 2000. Because of his support, President Bush appointed him as an ambassador.
Egan retired from EMC on January 17, 2001. He became Chairman Emeritus, which means he was still honored by the company. This allowed him to accept the role of US Ambassador to Ireland.
After the Senate approved his appointment, he officially started his job. He presented his credentials to President of Ireland Mary McAleese on September 10, 2001. His full title was Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary. He served in this role until January 31, 2003.
Awards and Honors
Richard Egan received many awards for his work and leadership.
- In 1994, Inc. magazine named him "Master Entrepreneur of the Year."
- He received the Patriot Award from the Medal of Honor Society.
- He was given the Jewish National Fund Tree of Life Award.
- Irish America magazine included him in their "Top 100" list.
- He also received honorary degrees from Northeastern University, New England Institute of Technology, and the University of Ulster.
Later Life and Passing
Richard Egan passed away at his home in Boston on August 28, 2009. He was 73 years old. He had been battling lung cancer. His family also shared that he suffered from emphysema and diabetes. He was survived by his wife, Maureen, and their five children.
Images for kids
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Richard J. Egan, former US Ambassador to Ireland.
