George E. McCown

George E. McCown "became Chairman of the Board of Directors of the World Business Academy in 1989, just two years after its inception, and became Chairman Emeritus in 2007. Over the last 20 years, George has been a strong financial supporter of the Academy and continues to be generous with his time and vast knowledge.

"Mr. McCown is Chairman of McCown De Leeuw & Co. Inc. LLC ("MDC") of Foster City, California. MDC is a private investment firm that partners with management teams that buy and build "companies that make a difference." He is also the Co-Founder and Managing Director of American Infrastructure Funds. He spent his early years with Boise Cascade Corp where he was Senior VP, Building Materials Group and President, Boise Cascade Home and Land Corp.

"His business affiliations include chairman of the board, Oxford Resources GP LLC, Gold Run Aviation Inc, and Sequoia Corp.; and previously over 30 private and public companies. He is a founding director of ChrysCap, a leading venture fund based in Delhi, India.  His civic and professional affiliations include president, Stanford Alumni Association (1977-78); trustee, Stanford University (1980-85); director, Lucile Packard Children's Hospital at Stanford (1985-1995); board of overseers, Hoover Institution (1994 to present); Chairman, Outward Bound USA, and The Harvard Business School Association of Northern California (1983-93).  He is a director of the American Himalayan Foundation, and the Bay Area Council.  He is a member of Stanford Associates, The World Presidents Organization (including founder and presiding member, WPO/NCC Investors LLC), Chief Executives Organization, Explorers Club, and the Bohemian Club. He received a BS in mechanical engineering from Stanford University in 1957 and an MBA from Harvard University in 1962 where he served as assistant to Prof. Georges F. Doriot, a venture capital pioneer. He served as a Captain in the U.S. Air Force, Strategic Air Command.

"His interests include adventure travel, mountaineering, aviation, skiing, classical piano, community development in the Karakorum region of Northern Pakistan and Afghanistan through the Central Asia Institute. He is married to Karen Stone McCown. They have eight children. "