[1][2][3][4] George graduated with a Bachelor in Industrial and Systems Engineering with high honors from the Georgia Institute of Technology in 1964.

In 2002–2003 he was a professor at the International Institute for Management Development and the École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne in Switzerland.

[1][2] He served on the boards of directors of Target Corporation, Novartis, ExxonMobil, Mayo Clinic and Goldman Sachs.

[1][2][4] He has served as chair of the board of Allina Health System, Abbott Northwestern Hospital, United Way of the Greater Twin Cities, and AdvaMed.

[1][2] Previously, he served on the board of Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, the World Economic Forum USA.