George J. Wile Honored For Supporting Medical Research

George J. Wile’s long and distinguished career covers a wide variety of interests and accomplishments, from a basis in mechanical engineering, to founding and presiding over metal and manufacturing companies, to a deep and far-ranging commitment to medicine and the arts. 

He began his life and education in New York City and as a very young man served in the Armed Forces in the European Theater. After his return, he accepted a position with General Electric, and ultimately relocated to Cincinnati and became a materials application engineering expert. After leaving the General Electric Company, he expanded and applied his expertise, becoming founder and president of the Polymet Corporation, the Atek Metal Center, the Planet Products Corporation and Stacey Manufacturing. He is widely respected in his field.

It was during this time that Wile was diagnosed with leukemia. He turned this unfortunate condition and the treatment of this and associated illnesses into a learning and development experience, and has become a tireless advocate and benefactor of our Medical Center.  He and his wife Elizabeth have endowed two extremely important chairs, the Robert Smith Endowed Chair in Family Medicine and the Clarence McLain Endowed Chair for Medical Student Education. He further provided over $2.4 million in support of the Wile Chair in Cancer Research. He encouraged Ms. Ann Bever, his sister-in-law, to provide a $1 million donation in support of Parkinson’s research.  He continues his quest for knowledge of medical and scientific advances, and has served as a willing advisor to various faculty members, including Dr. John Winkelmann. 

He currently resides in Cincinnati with his wife of 50-plus years, Elizabeth, who joins him in his interests in art, literature and the Cincinnati Symphony. They have two children, Margaret and Daniel, and have two grandsons.