George D. Behrakis (born January 1, 1934) is a
Greek-American
Greek Americans ( ''Ellinoamerikanoí'' ''Ellinoamerikánoi'' ) are Americans of full or partial Greek ancestry. There is an estimate of 1.2 million Americans of full or partial Greek ancestry. According to the US census, 264,066 people o ...
businessman, pharmaceutical entrepreneur, and philanthropist. He is best known for his donations to the
Museum of Fine Arts in
Boston
Boston is the capital and most populous city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Massachusetts in the United States. The city serves as the cultural and Financial centre, financial center of New England, a region of the Northeas ...
,
Massachusetts
Massachusetts ( ; ), officially the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, is a U.S. state, state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It borders the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Maine to its east, Connecticut and Rhode ...
,
and to
Northeastern University
Northeastern University (NU or NEU) is a private university, private research university with its main campus in Boston, Massachusetts, United States. It was founded by the Boston Young Men's Christian Association in 1898 as an all-male instit ...
's College of Health Sciences.
Biography
Behrakis was born on January 1, 1934, in
Lowell, MA
Lowell () is a city in Massachusetts, United States. Alongside Cambridge, it is one of two traditional seats of Middlesex County. With an estimated population of 115,554 in 2020, it was the fifth most populous city in Massachusetts as of the ...
, to Greek parents. He attended Lowell High School and later
Northeastern University
Northeastern University (NU or NEU) is a private university, private research university with its main campus in Boston, Massachusetts, United States. It was founded by the Boston Young Men's Christian Association in 1898 as an all-male instit ...
, where he earned a degree in pharmaceuticals.
He married his wife Margo Behrakis in 1961. They have four children and nine grandchildren.
Pharmaceuticals
In 1959, Behrakis became a salesperson for McNeil Laboratories, which was later sold to
Johnson and Johnson
Johnson & Johnson (J&J) is an American Multinational corporation, multinational Pharmaceutical industry, pharmaceutical, biotechnology, and Medical device, medical technologies corporation headquartered in New Brunswick, New Jersey, and publi ...
, where he and his team marketed
Tylenol Tylenol may refer to:
* Paracetamol (acetaminophen), a medication used to treat pain and fever
* Tylenol (brand), an American brand of drugs containing paracetamol
* Chicago Tylenol murders
The Chicago Tylenol murders were a series of poisoning d ...
. He went on to start his own company, Dooner Laboratories, based in Haverhill, Massachusetts, in 1967. When Dooner was sold nine years later, he purchased Muro Pharmaceuticals, which was initially focused on skin and eye products, and later developed leading asthma and immunology products. In 1996, Muro was sold to German pharmaceutical group Degussa fo
$350 million Behrakis remained on the board for two years, retiring in 1998.
Philanthropy
After retiring from the pharmaceutical industry, Behrakis founded the Behrakis Foundation. He and his wife's philanthropy has focused on education, the arts, healthcare, and hellenic religion and culture.
Northeastern Pharmacy School
In 2000, Behrakis and his wife made a substantial donation to Northeastern University, for the construction of the 84,000 square foot Behrakis Health and Sciences Center, one of the leading health sciences centers in the country. Construction of the new complex was completed in 2003. The building still stands today as one of the most advanced science centers in the country.
Museum of Fine Arts
In mid-2009, Behrakis and his wife made a $10 million donation
to the
Museum of Fine Arts (MFA) in Boston, to fund new exhibits on ancient Greek, Roman, and Egyptian civilizations. The donation resulted in the creation of the George D. and Margo Behrakis wing.
Boston Symphony Orchestra
Behrakis has been a long time benefactor of the
Boston Symphony Orchestra
The Boston Symphony Orchestra (BSO) is an American orchestra based in Boston. It is the second-oldest of the five major American symphony orchestras commonly referred to as the "Big Five (orchestras), Big Five". Founded by Henry Lee Higginson in ...
, having donated over $7 million. He currently serves as a Life Trustee on the BSO Board of Trustees.
Anti-Smoking Campaign in Greece
In 2010, Behrakis made a
$1.8 million donation to
Harvard University
Harvard University is a Private university, private Ivy League research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States. Founded in 1636 and named for its first benefactor, the History of the Puritans in North America, Puritan clergyma ...
fund research on smoking habits in Greece. This led to further funding and launch of a national anti-smoking campaign in Greece alongside Harvard, the ''Hellenic Cancer Society'' and Panagiotis Behrakis, MD, a well-respected pulmonary physician in Greece.
Leadership 100
Behrakis has for many years been a member of Leadership 100, an organization which supports Hellenic religious and cultural causes. Behrakis served as chairman of the organization from 2006-2008. Two of his children, Drake and Stephanie, along with their spouses, are also active members of the organization.
Other organisations
Behrakis and his wife are also active members of many other organizations, including the National Hellenic Society and the Alpha Omega.
Alpha Omega Council.
/ref> Behrakis has also served on the board of Trustees at Tufts University, Northeastern University, Brigham and Women's Hospital and the Boys & Girls Club of Greater Lowell. In May 2012, Behrakis received an honorary degree from the Hellenic College in Boston, and in June was given another at Drexel University
Drexel University is a private university, private research university with its main campus in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. Drexel's undergraduate school was founded in 1891 by Anthony Joseph Drexel, Anthony J. Drexel, a financier ...
in Philadelphia. In September 2014, Behrakis, was presented with the Greek Heritage Award by The American College of Greece
The American College of Greece (ACG) is a private college, graduate business school and high school in Agia Paraskevi, Greece. It is the oldest American-accredited college in Europe and a not-for-profit institution.
History
ACG was founded in ...
, recognizing his contribution to promoting Hellenism. In 2019, Mr Behrakis was honored by the Greek government with a stamp of his picture denoting his contribution to his anti-smoking campaign in the country.
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Behrakis, George D.
1934 births
Living people
20th-century American pharmacists
American people of Greek descent
Northeastern University alumni
Businesspeople from Lowell, Massachusetts
Boston Symphony Orchestra