George Kozmetsky was no stranger to hard work. But the 18-hour days paved the way for a legendarily successful career in business and academia.
Kozmetsky, who co-founded Teledyne Inc. in 1960, believed that business and academia worked best when they worked in concert with one another.
After a stint in the Army Medical Corps during World War II, Kozmetsky earned masters and doctorate degrees in commercial science from Harvard. Teledyne would grow into a powerhouse conglomerate and over the years, numerous technology companies benefitted from Kozmetsky’s assistance and mentorship.
But academics was as strong a calling as business. Kozmetsky left Teledyne in 1966 to become the dean of the business school at the University of Texas, a post he would hold 16 years. In 1977 he founded the IC2 Institute, a think tank devoted to the integration of business, education and government.
Kozmetsky’s legacy lives on through the RGK Foundation, which he and his wife, Ronya, created. The foundation, has awarded 3,200 grants since 1966 for research in medicine, technology, education and government.
By Robert Warren
