G.R. "Bill" Ranganath

McAllen - G. R. (Bill) Ranganath passed away on December 18, 2024. He was born in India in 1926 and graduated with a master's degree in in electrical engineering from the Indian Institute of Science in Bangalore, India. He came to the United States on a scholarship from General Electric Company in 1950 and completed a course of engineering and management training at the School of Graduate Engineers in Schenectady, New York. He went to Canada in 1952 and married his wife Lilly two years later. He worked there in various capacities such as engineering, manufacturing and management areas until 1971. His last assignment included being a Vice President of Operations for Unelco, Ltd., where he was a partner. That company was later acquired by Johnson Controls, Inc. in 1968.

He returned to the United States in 1971 to head the Standard Electric Time Company of Springfield, MA, a subsidiary of Johnson Controls. He later moved to Milwaukee, which was the headquarters of Johnson Controls. He arrived in the Rio Grande Valley to build, establish and manage a manufacturing operation called Controles Reynosa in Mexico where he served as the General Manager until his retirement in 1992.

Since then, Bill was active in SCORE, a volunteer organization helping small businesses in the U.S. and the Valley. He was their District Director for a number of years. In 2014 he received the Platinum Award for leadership for that organization. He and other Maquiladora executives often promoted the establishment of the Engineering Department for UTRGV.

Bill was also actively involved with the International Museum of Arts and Science in McAllen where he served on the board in various roles, most notably as the Vice President. The museum named him the Honoree in 2016.

He enjoyed travel - he travelled with his wife widely across the U.S. and around to the world. His favorites included the Taj Mahal in India, the Pyramids in Egypt, several temple ruins in Mexico and in Central and South America, the Galapagos Islands and the Inca Ruins in Machu Picchu in Peru.

He was predeceased by his wife Lilly, his parents, seven brothers, two sisters and is survived by a brother in India, Bhagavan, three nieces in the U.S., Srilaxmi Bhargav, Jyothi Srinivasan and Madhu Nandakumar and a host of other close relatives and friends across the U.S., Canada, Italy, Montenegro and India.

For those desiring, in lieu of customary remembrances, donations to the IMAS and UTRGV are welcome.