Bill Georges
Bill Georges
Bill Georges is a former executive with Medtronic, where he led the company through an impressive growth period. He is now an executive fellow at Harvard Business School and director at Goldman Sachs, Mayo Clinic, and ExxonMobil.
He is the author of several best-selling books on leadership, such as True North: Discover Your Authentic Leadership and its Emerging Leader Edition. His advice for leaders includes accepting honest feedback from mentors, key executives, and front-line workers.
Early Life and Education
Bill George began his professional football career playing for the Chicago Bears in the early 1950s. He also held several other high-profile positions in politics and public service, such as being a senior staff member for US ambassador to China.
He then transitioned into the scientific community and built a sundial for Mars exploration rover. Additionally, he served as vice president of The Planetary Society. But perhaps his most remarkable accomplishment was advocating for Pluto’s reclassification to dwarf planet status – an unprecedented first for any science organization or celebrity celebrity. As such, his name has become synonymous with science; it’s hard to believe he was once just another college professor of aerospace engineering!
Professional Career
Bill George was an all-out linebacker for the Chicago Bears and an eight-time All-NFL selection. His defense contributed to their 14-10 championship win against New York Giants in 1963. Additionally, George earned All-Southern Conference recognition while at Wake Forest as both a football and wrestling player.
George was a second-round draft choice and began his NFL career as a middle guard in a five-man defensive front. However, during a 1954 preseason game with the Philadelphia Eagles, George noticed that centers often dropped back during pass coverage which allowed quarterbacks to throw short passes into the middle of the field.
Achievements and Honors
Bill Georges has accomplished a great deal in his career. He has worked across numerous industries and earned himself several honors.
He has earned the respect of his colleagues due to his honesty and integrity.
Georges is currently the Senior Growth Advisor at Pearl Health, a company that specializes in working with primary care organizations to offer value-based healthcare solutions. With two decades of payer experience across corporate venture, product, and strategy roles, Georges helps Pearl continue its expansion with payers.
At Colorado Athletics, George has been recognized by the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee three years in a row as Staff Member of the Year (2014, 2018, 2020). His commitment to student-athletes has been one of the driving factors behind Colorado Athletics becoming one of the most sustainable sports programs in America.
Personal Life
Bill George is a renowned former chairman and CEO of Medtronic, as well as a senior fellow at Harvard Business School and author of four bestselling books on leadership, including True North.
He’s a self-described “people person,” always striving to understand what motivates people and how to help them reach their full potential. According to him, leaders must be able to establish personal connections with their employees on an intimate level.
He’s an avid reader, taking pleasure in discovering cutting-edge technologies and trends within business.
George went on to earn a Bachelor of Science in Industrial and Systems Engineering from Georgia Tech in 1964. Later, he earned an MBA from Harvard Business School with high distinction.
Net Worth
Bill George is a senior fellow at Harvard Business School and one of the nation’s foremost experts on leadership. His books include Discover Your True North and The Discover Your True North Fieldbook, as well as Authentic Leadership, True North, Finding Your True North, 7 Lessons for Leading in Crisis, and True North Groups.
He was previously the CEO of Medtronic, whose market value rose from $1 billion to $60 billion during his tenure. Nowadays, he contributes regularly on CNBC and frequently appears on television programs.
As of July 6, 2020, his net worth is estimated to be $195 thousand dollars. He owns 24,918 units of Intellicheck Inc stock.