Early Life and Education
John E. Abele was born in 1937 in New London, Connecticut. He came from a "Classic Yankee family". At the age of seven, he was diagnosed with osteomyelitis, a bacterial infection of the bone, which required multiple surgeries and years of using crutches. Abele's father was the commanding officer of the submarine USS Grunion, which was lost during World War II. He graduated from Amherst College in 1959 with a Bachelor of Arts degree, having double-majored in physics and philosophy.
Rise to Success
Abele's career began in medical sales, where he quickly found an interest in the problem-solving aspects of medical technology. He later co-founded Boston Scientific with Peter Nicholas in 1979. Boston Scientific was initially a holding company for Medi-tech. Abele served in key leadership positions, including treasurer, co-chairman, and director. Innovations propelled Boston Scientific onto the Forbes Global 2000 list of the world's leading companies. Abele holds numerous patents and has lectured on medical technology.
Key Business Strategies
Abele and his partner developed strategies that led to the growth of Boston Scientific, making it a leading medical device company. The company focused on developing less-invasive medical treatments and procedures. He retired from the board in 2011, serving as director emeritus until 2017.
Philanthropy
John Abele is also a prominent philanthropist through the Argosy Foundation, which he founded. The foundation has donated over $130 million since 2001, supporting education, scientific research, arts, and community initiatives. He has contributed to higher education through the Argosy Foundation. He is also the founder of Canada's Kingbridge Conference Centre & Institute.
