Richard John Egan, co-founder of storage giant EMC Corp. and longtime member of The Forbes 400, was an American businessman, political fundraiser and US Ambassador to Ireland.
Background
A long-time resident of Hopkinton, Massachusetts, Egan committed suicide at his Boston residence on August 28, 2009 aged 73, while suffering from Stage IV terminal lung cancer. According to his family, he also suffered from emphysema and diabetes. He is survived by his wife, Maureen, and their five children and 15 grandchildren.
Career
Served as helicopter crewman in the United States Marine Corps during the end of the Korean War.
Worked at Lockheed Martin, Honeywell, and Intel before founding EMC Corporation.
In 1979, he founded EMC with Roger Marino, his college roommate.
Egan retired on January 17, 2001 as Chairman Emeritus in order to accept an appointment by President George W. Bush to serve as the United States Ambassador to Ireland.
Served as director of the Massachusetts High Technology Council and Business Roundtable, director of the New York Stock Exchange Advisory Board, and founder of the Hopkinton Technology for Education Foundation in Hopkinton, Massachusetts, where EMC is based.