George N. Hatsopoulos: An American By Design

The story of George Hatsopoulos is that of America, itself. Even as a child in Greece, his sights had been set on building a career of innovation and entrepreneurial achievement. America, he believed, would be the perfect place to pursue his dream. In 1948, while a student at Athens Polytech, his ticket-to-America arrived in the form of a scholarship to MIT. There, he gained a doctorate in mechanical engineering in 1956. "This was to be the springboard for a remarkable lifetime of accomplishments in scientific theory, technological innovation, business development and economics. As founder, chairman, and CEO of Thermo Electron Corporation, he built the company from a small research laboratory into a Fortune 500 enterprise with operations in 23 countries. George's many contributions to his adopted country have included two terms as Chairman of the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston, as well as frequent consultations on energy and economic policy with Congressional leaders and four American Presidents.In his 2001 book, 'The American Dream', renowned journalist Dan Rather described George Hatsopoulos as a direct heir to Benjamin Franklin, noting that "Like Franklin, this Greek immigrant made breakthroughs by experimenting with electricity. And by taking the American inventor, Thomas Edison as his personal role model, he has turned his genius into a great business success, as well. In 1996, The Journal of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, Daedalus, described George Hatsopoulos' company, Thermo Electron, as "A Perpetual Idea Machine-dedicated to entrepreneurship based on technology." Read more