George Nicholas Hatsopoulos

He is the founder of Thermo Electron Corporation, a global leader in providing technology-based instruments, components, and systems that offer total solutions for a broad range of markets. He served as chairman and chief executive officer since its founding in 1956 until his retirement as CEO in June 1999, and as chairman in December of that year. He currently serves on the board of directors as chairman emeritus. During his tenure as CEO, Thermo Electron grew into an international company with over 24,000 employees in 23 countries. He continues to serve on boards of several organizations and is a Life Member of the Corporation of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He has received numerous awards, including ASME's Henry Laurence Gantt Medal for outstanding contributions to the engineering profession. He is the principal author of three books on thermodynamics and has published over 60 articles in professional journals. He continues to pursue his interest in thermodynamics and currently serves as a member of the National Research Council's Committee on Thermionic Research and Technology. He has recently launched a new company which focuses on innovative concepts in the biomedical field where he holds the position of Chairman and CEO.