View source for Michael Cudahy (electronics)

{{Short description|American businessman and philanthropist (1924–2022)}}
{{Infobox person
| name               = Michael John Cudahy
| birth_date         = {{birth date|1924|3|17}}
| birth_place        = [[Milwaukee]], [[Wisconsin]], U.S.
| death_date         = {{death date and age|2022|3|11|1924|3|17}}
| death_place        = U.S.
| parents            = 
| relatives          = 
| occupation         = entrepreneur, business executive and philanthropist
}}

'''Michael John Cudahy'''  ({{IPAc-en|ˈ|k|ʌ|d|ə|h|eɪ}} {{respell|CUD|ə|hey}}); March 24, 1924 – March 11, 2022) was an American [[entrepreneur]], business executive, and philanthropist.

==Early life, family and education==
{{expand-section| date= March 2022}}
Born in [[Milwaukee]], [[Wisconsin]], in 1924, Cudahy was the son of [[John Cudahy]], United States ambassador to [[Ireland]], [[Poland]] and [[Belgium]].  His grandfather was [[Patrick Cudahy]], founder of the Patrick Cudahy Meat Company.<ref>{{cite web| url= http://www.wisconsinhistory.org/dictionary/index.asp?action=view&term_id=1213& |title= Cudahy, Patrick 1849 - 1919| work= Dictionary of Wisconsin History | publisher= Wisconsin Historical Society| date= | via= wisconsinhistory.org| access-date= }}</ref><ref>{{cite book| url= http://www.livestockexpo.org/ssclub/ssbook_pdfs/abc.pdf | title= Saddle and Sirloin Portrait Catalogue| via= livestockexpo.org| archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20080703183359/http://www.livestockexpo.org/ssclub/ssbook_pdfs/abc.pdf |archivedate=2008-07-03 |publisher= North American International Livestock Exposition | access-date= }}</ref><ref>{{cite web| last= Sherman| first= Jeff| url= http://staff.onmilwaukee.com/buzz/articles/cudahy.html |title= Milwaukee Talks: Michael Cudahy| website= OnMilwaukee.com | date= August 28, 2002| access-date= }}</ref>

On August 2, 2007, [[WTMJ-AM]] in Milwaukee reported that Michael Cudahy was one of several private investors considering purchasing [[Midwest Airlines]].<ref>{{cite news| last= McCrady| first= Melissa| url= http://www.todaystmj4.com/news/local/8859177.html| archiveurl= https://archive.today/20120912091344/http://www.todaystmj4.com/news/local/8859177.html | archivedate= September 12, 2012 |title= Milw. Investors Fight to Keep Midwest Airlines| publisher= [[WTMJ-TV]]| date= August 2, 2007| access-date= }}</ref>

==Career==
Along with Warren Cozzens, Cudahy founded [[Marquette Electronics]] in 1965 and served as chairman and CEO. The company went [[Public company|public]] in 1991.  After starting with only $15,000 in capital, the company went on to have over $350 million annually in sales.{{Citation needed|date=November 2012}} This company created the nation's first central [[electrocardiograph]]ic system at [[Northwestern University Medical School]]. The machine became standard in hospitals throughout the United States.{{Citation needed|date=November 2012}}  The company was also noted for having one of the first on-site [[daycare center]]s in the nation.{{Citation needed|date=November 2012}}  

In 1982, he and Warren bought the failing Patient Monitoring Business Unit from [[GE]] (then known as General Electric Medical Systems Division) and combined it with the existing business (primarily diagnostic equipment).{{Citation needed|date=November 2012}} In 1998, however, he sold Marquette Electronics (by then known as Marquette Medical Systems) to GE for $810 million.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Hendrickson |first=By Amy Rabideau Silvers, Bill Glauber, Ricardo Torres and Samantha |title=Wisconsin business leader, philanthropist Michael J. Cudahy has died at 97 |url=https://www.jsonline.com/story/money/2022/03/14/business-leader-philanthropist-michael-j-cudahy-has-died-97/7038250001/ |access-date=2024-04-24 |website=Journal Sentinel |language=en-US}}</ref> The company exists today as part of the Clinical Systems division of [[GE Healthcare]], a subsidiary of the American conglomerate. After stepping aside at his company, Cudahy focused his energies on philanthropy and serving on the boards of other companies.  

In 1999, according to [[U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission]] (SEC) filings, he invested $10 million in TomoTherapy a [[Madison, Wisconsin]], [[biotechnology]] start-up.  It went public on May 9, 2007, with the stock symbol TOMO. Mr. Cudahy's 10% interest was valued at more than $100 million by September 2007.{{Citation needed|date=November 2012}}

He told the story of the founding of Marquette Electronics in the book ''Joyworks'' (2002; {{ISBN|0-938076-17-5}}).

==Personal life and death==
{{expand-section| date= March 2022}}
Cudahy was still actively working in the lead up to his 90th birthday in March 2014.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Glauber |first1=Bill |title= Michael Cudahy looks forward to 90th birthday, and beyond |url=https://archive.jsonline.com/news/milwaukee/michael-cudahy-looks-forward-to-90th-birthday-and-beyond-b99220185z1-249154961.html/ |access-date=16 December 2021 |publisher= | work= Milwaukee Journal Sentinel |date=8 March 2021}}</ref> 

Cudahy died on March 11, 2022, at the age of 97.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.fox6now.com/news/milwaukee-philanthropist-mike-cudahy-dies-at-97|title = Milwaukee philanthropist Mike Cudahy dies at 97|date = 14 March 2022| website= fox6now.com| publisher= | access-date= }}</ref>

==References==
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Cudahy, Michael}}
[[Category:1924 births]]
[[Category:2022 deaths]]
[[Category:20th-century American businesspeople]]
[[Category:21st-century American businesspeople]]
[[Category:American philanthropists]]
[[Category:Businesspeople from Milwaukee]]
[[Category:Cudahy family|Michael]]