JACQUES MAISONROUGE

MAISONROUGE--Jacques, 87, passed away at home in Paris on January 25, surrounded by his family. He is survived by his wife, Francoise, their five children, Christine, Florence, Sylvie, Francois and Anne-Sophie, their spouses and partner, Xavier, Vincent, Robert, Ketty and Sophie, their eleven grandchildren and their spouses, and their ten great-grandchildren. He instilled his high sense of duty, hard work and ethics to his family, and took great pride in their achievements. He was thrilled to have started a family now living in France, the US, the UK, and even China. His lifelong love of the United States was born in occupied France. In 1948, after graduating from the prestigious Ecole Centrale des Arts et Manufactures, he joined IBM, and he and Francoise moved to the US for what would be the first of four long stays there. His career at IBM spanned 36 years, and would culminate in his becoming Chairman and CEO of IBM World Trade Corporation, and a member of the Board of IBM Corporation. A true French patriot, he was a champion of French-American friendship, and a passionate supporter of Europe. In parallel to his business career, he was a tireless promoter of "world peace through world trade". After retiring from IBM in 1984, he continued to serve on a number of boards, including those of L'Air Liquide and Philip Morris. In 1986, he was called to duty by the French government, and served as Director General of Industry. He served on the boards or as president of a number of philanthropic organizations involved in economic policy making, management, education and health. Most notably, he was President of his alma mater, the Ecole Centrale, and of the American Hospital of Paris. In 1999, he was made a Knight Grand Officer of the Legion of Honor, the highest order in France. He was a Knight of Malta (GM), and the recipient of honors from many countries where he had made his mark. He was particularly proud to have been invited by the Society of the Cincinnati to become an honorary member. Members of the Society are descendants of the officers of the Continental Army and Navy and their French counterparts who served in the Revolutionary War. The funeral service is at Saint-Louis des Invalides Cathedral, in Paris, on Monday, January 30, at 10:30am.