Richard J. Egan

Richard John Egan
Born	Template:Birth date Milton, Massachusetts, U.S.
Died	August 28, 2009(2009-08-28) (aged 73) Boston, Massachusetts, U.S.
Occupation(s)	Corporate leader, political fundraiser, diplomat
Years active	1961–2003
Known for	Co-founder of EMC Corporation; United States Ambassador to Ireland (2001–2003)

Richard John Egan (February 28, 1936 – August 28, 2009) was a prominent American corporate leader, political fundraiser, and served as the United States Ambassador to Ireland from 2001 to 2003.

Career

Born in Milton, Massachusetts, Egan completed his high school education in Dorchester before enlisting as a helicopter crew member in the United States Marine Corps during the Korean War. He obtained a bachelor's degree in electrical engineering from Northeastern University in 1961 and later earned a master's degree from M.I.T.. His early career included work on the memory systems for Project Apollo at NASA, and positions at firms such as Lockheed Martin, Honeywell, and Intel preceded his entrepreneurial venture.

In 1979, Egan co-established EMC Corporation alongside Roger Marino, a fellow Northeastern alumnus. To support the fledgling company, they initially sold office furniture. Over time, EMC expanded to become the largest technology enterprise in Massachusetts, employing more than 40,000 individuals by 2009. By 2005, Egan was ranked 258th on the Forbes 400 list with an estimated net worth of $1.3 billion.

Philanthropy

Egan held influential roles including serving as a director for the Massachusetts High Technology Council, the Business Roundtable, and the advisory board of the New York Stock Exchange. He founded the Hopkinton Technology for Education Foundation based in Hopkinton, Massachusetts, home to EMC’s headquarters. His charitable efforts extended to supporting organizations such as the Boy Scouts of America and initiatives focused on health and education. A significant contribution was his role in founding the Maureen and Richard J. Egan Engineering/Science Research Center at Northeastern University in 1996.

Additionally, he established an engineering facility in Israel aimed at advancing EMC’s product innovation and played a key part in strengthening Israel’s technological infrastructure.

Ireland

After playing a major role in fundraising for George W. Bush's 2000 presidential campaign, Egan was appointed as one of 19 Bush Pioneer ambassadors; notably, his sons Christopher and Michael also held Pioneer status.

Egan stepped down from his executive duties at EMC on January 17, 2001, assuming the title of Chairman Emeritus to accept President Bush’s nomination as U.S. ambassador to the Ireland. Upon Senate approval, he presented his credentials to President of Ireland Mary McAleese on September 10, 2001. Holding the rank of Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary, he served until January 31, 2003.

Recognition

In 1994, Inc. magazine honored Egan as "Master Entrepreneur of the Year." His accolades also include the Medal of Honor Society’s Patriot Award and the Jewish National Fund Tree of Life Award, along with being named among Irish America magazine's "Top 100." He received honorary degrees from institutions such as Northeastern University, New England Institute of Technology, and the University of Ulster.

Death

Egan passed away by suicide at his residence in Boston on August 28, 2009, aged 73, while contending with Stage IV terminal lung cancer. His family disclosed that he also suffered from emphysema and diabetes. He is survived by his wife Maureen and their five children.