Peter Nicholas (businessman)
Peter M. Nicholas co-founded medical device firm Boston Scientific with partner John Abele.
Peter M. Nicholas | |
---|---|
Born | 1940/1941 (age 79–80)[1] |
Nationality | American |
Alma mater | Duke University University of Pennsylvania |
Known for | co-founder of Boston Scientific |
Net worth | US$2.3 billion (2018)[2] |
Spouse(s) | Virginia "Ginny" Lilly |
Nicholas earned a B.A. from Duke University in 1964 and an M.B.A. from the University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School. Nicholas is Chairman Emeritus of the Duke Board of Trustees. In 2005 he was ranked #78 by Forbes magazine's list of "The 400 Richest Americans", with an estimated worth of $4 billion.
Born to Greek-American parents, he met scientist Abele at a kids' soccer game in 1979. They borrowed $800,000 to start Boston Scientific, a manufacturer of medical devices. He helped grow the company through a series of astute acquisitions. [3]
In 1996, the Nicholas family gave $20 million to Duke University for the School of the Environment, which subsequently renamed the school in his honor. In 2000, Nicholas was a recipient of the Ellis Island Medal of Honor.[4] In 2004, Nicholas and his wife Ginny made another large pledge to Duke, totaling $72 million. $70 million of that donation was to go to the Nicholas School of the Environment, while $2 million was to go to Perkins library.[5] However, as of February 2012, much of the $72 million pledge has not been paid to Duke, far past the December 2008 deadline.[6]
Prior to co-founding Boston Scientific, Nicholas worked with Eli Lilly and Company. He currently serves on the Board of Advisors of the Nicholas Institute for Environmental Policy Solutions.
Married to Virginia (Ginny) Lilly, the great-great-granddaughter of Eli Lilly.
He is of Greek origin[7] and divides his time between Natick, a suburb of Boston, and Woods Hole, a village on Cape Cod and Boca Grande, on the Gulf Coast of Florida.
Recognition
- Golden Plate Award of the American Academy of Achievement, 1997[8]
- Phoenix Lifetime Achievement Award
- Ellis Island Medal of Honor, 2000
- AdvaMed Lifetime Achievement Award, 2016[9]
References
- "The World's Working Rich". Forbes.com. Retrieved June 13, 2017.
- "Archived copy". Archived from the original on November 7, 2017. Retrieved April 24, 2018.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
- Tully, Shawn (October 5, 2006). "Boston Scientific paid too high a price for Guidant - October 16, 2006". Money.cnn.com. Retrieved June 13, 2017.
- Nicholases' $72 Million Gift Closes Campaign At Record $2.36 Billion Archived August 2, 2012, at Archive.today Duke University Office of News and Communications, January 8, 2004. Retrieved June 6, 2008.
- "Record pledge remains unsettled". The Chronicle.
- "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on August 20, 2012. Retrieved September 8, 2012.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
- "Golden Plate Awardees of the American Academy of Achievement". www.achievement.org. American Academy of Achievement.
- "Boston Scientific Co-Founders John Abele and Pete Nicholas Honored with AdvaMed Lifetime Achievement Award". AdvaMed.