Remembering George Wesolowsky

Dear DeGroote community,

It is with great sadness that I share with you the recent passing of our friend and colleague, George Wesolowsky, Professor Emeritus, Operations Management.

George carved out an impressive academic journey that began with an undergraduate degree in Engineering from the University of Toronto. He earned his MBA from the University of Western Ontario in 1966, followed by his PhD from the University of Wisconsin in 1970. Shortly after, George joined McMaster University as an assistant professor in the faculty of business. He became a tenured professor in 1978, a role he would faithfully serve until his retirement in 2006.

Among his notable contributions to the faculty, George was instrumental in establishing the School’s first PhD program in Management Science which continues to be a cornerstone field of study at DeGroote.

In addition to teaching statistics and statistical quality control, George specialized in research focusing on quantitative methods for business decisions. Over the course of his academic tenure, George became a respected leader in his field, publishing two books, and authoring and/or co-authoring well over 100 journal articles, including an article as recent as 2023. As a testament to the depth of his research expertise, in 2008, George was the recipient of the Lifetime Achievement in Location Analysis Award.

We are truly proud of George’s accomplishments and to have counted him among our valued academic colleagues for several decades.

For those wishing to pay last respects to George, the visitation will take place on Friday (August 23), with the funeral following on Saturday. Details can be found here.

George Wesolowsky will be missed by all who knew him – colleagues who worked alongside him, our students who had the privilege of learning from him, and our community members who benefited from his insights.

I have extended a note of sympathy to George’s family on behalf of the DeGroote Community. I hope you will take a moment to reflect on George, his memory, and the impact he had at DeGroote.

Best regards,

Khaled Hassanein

Dean, DeGroote School of Business