George C. Wortley
George Cornelius Wortley | |
|---|---|
| Born | 8 December 1926 Syracuse, New York, U.S. |
| Died | 21 January 2014 (aged 87) Fort Lauderdale, Florida, U.S. |
| Occupation(s) | Banker, publisher, politician |
| Years active | 1948–2014 |
| Known for | U.S. Representative from New York (1981–1989) |
George Cornelius Wortley (December 8, 1926 – January 21, 2014) was an American banker, publisher, and Republican representative from New York who served four consecutive terms in the United States House of Representatives between 1981 and 1989.
Biography
Born in Syracuse, New York, Wortley completed his education at Syracuse University in 1948. During his time there, he was affiliated with the Gamma-Iota chapter of the Kappa Sigma fraternity.
Prior to entering politics, Wortley led Manlius Publishing Corporation as its president; the company managed seven weekly newspapers across Upstate New York until they were sold in 1992. He contributed for five years on the advisory boards of both the Bank of New York and its successor institution, Norstar Bank. His involvement extended to multiple civic, state, and national organizations such as Project ACTA and the Government Affairs Council at Kings Point. Throughout his business and legislative career, Wortley engaged with leaders from over 35 countries.
During World War II, he served in the Merchant Marine Reserve and United States Naval Reserve, undertaking sea assignments in the North Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, and Philippine combat zones.
Congress
Wortley was elected to Congress in 1980 and remained in office for four terms until 1989. He held the position of senior minority member on the House Banking, Finance and Urban Affairs Committee, where he worked alongside counterparts from Europe, Latin America, and the Pacific Rim on matters concerning financial institutions and development banks. Additionally, he was a member of both the House Ethics Committee and the Select Committee on Aging.
He was instrumental in crafting and securing passage of legislation that introduced the inaugural reverse mortgage program designed for elderly homeowners.
Later career and death
Following his congressional service, Wortley served on the boards of Dierman, Wortley & Zola, Inc. (DWZ), Morgan Casner Associates, and Washington Solutions, specializing in public affairs and financial consulting strategies. He also provided guidance to National Security Studies, a Department of Defense executive initiative, and acted as a senior policy advisor for The Carmen Group as well as Financial Institutions Services Corp. (FISC).
Wortley passed away at age 87 while receiving hospice care in Fort Lauderdale, Florida in 2014. His final resting place is at the Congressional Cemetery located in Washington.