Richard John Egan
- Category : Business-Entrepreneur
- Type : PE
- Profile : 3/6 - Martyr / Role Model
- Definition : Split - Large
- Incarnation Cross : RAX Planning 1
Biography
American executive and diplomat, Egan is the billionaire cofounder of EMC Corporation, and was sworn in as ambassador to Ireland in August 2001. His resignation from the diplomatic post was announced in Dublin on December 23, 2002. It was subsequently revealed that he had been frustrated by the Bush administration’s restructuring of the State Department, leaving Egan with a charter to bring in more investment to Northern Ireland and less involved in the diplomatic process.
Egan co-founded EMC in 1979 and is one of the wealthiest businessmen in Massachusetts. While continuing to sit on the Board, he resigned as CEO when he was appointed ambassador to avoid conflict of interest. Egan’s contribution of nearly $500,000 to the Bush campaign evoked claims that he had bought his way to the ambassador post. He is known for his autocratic leadership style, bluntness and attention to the bottom line that caused even his friends to question his suitability for a diplomatic post. He graduated from Northeastern University in 1961 with a BEE and did postgraduate work at MIT from 1963-64. He is married and has 5 children and 11 grandchildren
After a battle with lung cancer and other illnesses, he died on Augsut 28, 2009 at his home in Boston, MA. Boston two newspapers reported that he died of a self-inflicted gunshot citing a police source. He was 73 years old.
