George M. C. Fisher

Early life and education Fisher was born on November 30, 1940, in Anna, Illinois. He graduated with a B.S. in engineering from the University of Illinois in 1962 where he was a member of Phi Delta Theta fraternity. He received his M.S. in engineering in 1964 and a PhD in applied mathematics in 1966, both from Brown University.

Career At the Eastman Kodak Company, Fisher was recognized for leadership in electronic communications and corporate management. Fisher is a member of the National Academy of Engineering, having served two terms as chairman from 2000 to 2004, and is a fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.

During Fisher’s tenure at Kodak, the company competed against Japanese markets and the rise of digital cameras. While director, Fisher claimed that Fujifilm had “rigged” Japanese markets and urged the US government to restrict trade with Japan to help Kodak in the US. Fisher also oversaw the development of APS film which proved to be a failure with consumers.

He is a past member of the boards of AT&T, American Express Company, Comcast Corporation, Delta Air Lines, Inc., Eastman Kodak Company, Eli Lilly and Company, General Motors Corporation, Hughes Electronics Corporation, Motorola, Inc., Minnesota Mining & Manufacturing, and Brown University. He was also chairman of PanAmSat Corporation from 2004 to 2006.

Fisher is a past member of the United States-China Business Council, serving as chairman from 1997 to 1999; and a member of the U.S. Council on Competitiveness, serving as chairman from 1990 to 1993. Fisher was chairman of the Industry Policy Advisory Committee (IPAC) for the U.S. Trade Representative and the U.S. Secretary of Commerce. He was an appointed member of the President’s Advisory Council for Trade Policy and Negotiations from 1993 to 2002 serving under both Presidents Clinton and George W. Bush. He is a former member of the Advisory Board of Allianz International in Germany, an emeritus member of the Singapore Economic Development Board’s International Advisory Council, and a former member of the Tsinghua University Executive Education Advisory Board in China. He was a member of the Board of The National Urban League, Inc. and the University of Illinois Foundation, where he served as chairman from 1997 to 1999.