John E. Abele (born 1937) is an American businessman, and the co-founder and a director of Boston Scientific, a medical device company. He was awarded the ASME Medal in 2010. As of November 2024, he is recognized as a billionaire, with a net worth of approximately $1.9 billion. He was first listed on the Forbes 400 in 1996 as a self-made billionaire. Although he has given away a significant portion of his wealth, he remains Vermont's only billionaire, residing in Shelburne. Through his private family foundation, the Argosy Foundation, Abele has donated over $130 million to charitable causes since 2001.

Biography

Early life and education

Abele was raised in a "Classic Yankee family," the youngest of three sons of Catherine (née Eaton) and Lieutenant Commander Mannert Lincoln Abele, USN. His father was the commanding officer of the submarine USS Grunion when the vessel was lost in the Aleutians on July 31, 1942, presumably to enemy action. John and his brothers later organized, managed, and funded research to locate and photograph the Grunion – which was found in the Bering Sea – document the cause, and locate relatives of all the crew. At the age of seven, Abele was stricken with osteomyelitis, a bacterial infection of the bone, requiring multiple surgeries and years of using crutches. He is a graduate of Amherst College with a double major in physics and philosophy (he later was a trustee).

Career

His first job was at a light-fixture company in the Midwest; he later moved back to New England to work for a small medical company near Boston. Soon after he branched out on his own and co-founded Boston Scientific with Peter Nicholas. He was the chairman of FIRST robotics, and was chairman from 2002 to 2010. Abele is a member of the USA Science and Engineering Festival's advisory board.

Personal life

Abele is married to Mary Abele. They live in Shelburne, Vermont, and have three children, including Chris Abele. Chris Abele successfully ran for Milwaukee County executive in 2010.