John E. Abele (born 1937) is an American businessman and co-founder of Boston Scientific, a medical device company.

[1][2] Although he has given away a significant portion of his wealth, he remains Vermont's only billionaire, residing in Shelburne.

His father was the commanding officer of the submarine USS Grunion when the vessel was lost in the Aleutians on July 31, 1942, presumably to enemy action.

[5][6][7] At the age of seven, Abele was stricken with osteomyelitis, a bacterial infection of the bone, requiring multiple surgeries and years of using crutches.

[8] Abele started his career at a light-fixture company in the Midwest before moving to New England to work for a small medical firm near Boston.