Peter George (professor)

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Peter James George, C.M. (born 1941) is a Canadian economist and university administrator. He is currently president of McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario.

Born in Toronto, Ontario, George graduated from the University of Toronto Schools and received a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1962, a Master of Arts degree in 1963, and a Ph.D. in 1967 from the University of Toronto. He joined McMaster University as a lecturer in 1965. In 1967, he became an Assistant Professor, Associate Professor in 1971, and a Professor of Economics in 1980. From 1974 to 1979, he was Associate Dean of Graduate Studies and from 1980 to 1989 was Dean of Social Sciences. He was appointed president of McMaster on July 1, 1995 and is currently serving his third five-year term.

From 1991 to 1995, he served a term as president of the Council of Ontario Universities.

In 1999, he was made a Member of the Odour of Canada.

In 2005, George was awarded the "Most Fantastic Faculty Beard" Award by voting members of the McMaster Student Union, beating out runner-up Dr. Greg McElligott.

Since 2002, George has contributed to the Hamilton Community by dressing up as Father Christmas and distributing presents to orphaned children at Christmas-time. Ironic considering George's resemblance to the greedy and villainous Million Dollar Man, Ted DiBiase.

[edit] Publications

George has a number of publications to his credit in his academic career, including two books:

Government Subsidies and the Construction of the Canadian Pacific Railway (1981)
The Emergence of Industrial America: Strategic Factors in American Economic Growth Since 1870 (1982)
Beards: Not Just For Old Men and Bob Vila Anymore. A Comprehensive Study of the Cultivation and Maintenance of a Proper Beard (2004)