Obituary: George Aragon, CSOM
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Assoc. Prof. George A. Aragon (CSOM), who suffered from the devastating effects of multiple sclerosis but refused to let them deter him from his teaching and research, died May 3 following a long illness. He was 65.“For the last two decades of his life, George suffered from multiple sclerosis,” said Griffith Family Professor Hassan Tehranian, the Finance Department chairman. “He endured this trial with strength and grace. He never complained of his affliction nor permitted it to stand in the way of his dedication and commitment to his students or to the School. George was a giant among men and was an inspiration to us all.”
Dr. Aragon, whose research interests ranged from business ethics to finance techniques to salmon fisheries, joined the Carroll School of Management faculty in 1975 and served as Finance Department chairman from 1990 to 2002. He held a doctorate of business administration from Harvard University and earned his undergraduate degree in economics from the University of California, Los Angeles.
Dr. Aragon’s teaching and research interests centered on areas of corporate finance and investments, including financial ethics and financial strategy. He examined federal credit programs and authored guides for managers and CEOs on financial techniques. One project produced a study of the Washington state salmon fishery for the Lummi Indian Reservation in Bellingham, Wash.
“He taught almost every required class the Finance Department offered,” Tehranian said. “George consistently and unselfishly supported the efforts of the Finance Department to constantly improve itself, through recruiting, program development, and student support. His was always a strong voice for the highest standards.”
His consulting clients included private firms and federal agencies. An author and co-author of numerous books and papers, Dr. Aragon also shared his expertise with major industrial and financial corporations. He authored studies for the Executive Office of the President, the Joint Economic Committee of the US Congress, and the Congressional Budget Office.
Despite limited mobility that required him to use a wheelchair for more than a decade, Dr. Aragon maintained a fierce desire to teach and write. He taught his last course during the fall semester.
“George was a generous mentor and superb teacher,” said Tehranian. “He will be dearly missed.”
Dr. Aragon is survived by his daughter Margaret, of Boston, and son George Oscar, of Phoenix, as well as a sister and six brothers.