“Control the controllable” was the motto of George M Sherman, who tragically surrendered for the first time in his life on August 17, 2021 at 80 years of age. Stoic and relentless to the end, George spent 14 months battling for control over a traumatic brain injury he sustained while pursuing physical and mental excellence.

Born August 6, 1941 in Manhattan, NY to Fredericka (Hand) and Joseph Sherman, George had a modest upbringing along with his younger sister Rona as they moved to the Bronx, then Queens, and finally Long Island. Ambition kicked in at thirteen with a paper route in Plainview followed by pool hustling to fund a construction business while on the Dean’s List studying Engineering at Long Island University (1963).

George was drafted into the US Army in 1964 and when discharged in 1966 went straight to visit his grandfather James Henry Sherman, whom he always proudly mentioned had lied about his age to honorably serve in the Spanish American war.

George always embraced opportunity and in early 1966, he got his dream job as a management trainee with General Electric Corporation and subsequently met the woman of his dreams, Betsy Rae Bicknell of Fitchburg, MA, and eloped in November after a six-week romance.

The newly formed Sherman family moved to Louisville, KY in 1967 so George could continue his ascent within G.E., while both earning his MBA at University of Louisville and welcoming their first child, Jonathan, in 1970. Sons David (1972) and Michael (1975) followed as George earned his pilot’s license in his free time.

George’s appetite for advancement within G.E. led the family to Monroe, CT in 1976, where he loved cruising in his convertible MGB looking for pool halls, and then Houston, TX in 1979 as President of Weed Eater where Matthew (1980) was born.

A quick turn took the family to Northbrook, IL in 1980 as George climbed the corporate ladder becoming President of SKIL Corporation and began his racquetball court domination and love of golf, scuba diving, biking, and skiing with his boys. George’s intense focus and high energy lead him to join Black & Decker in 1982 as group VP of US power tools group.

The family left behind the Bears and Bulls in their prime in 1986 when George was promoted to executive VP, President power tools group in Baltimore, MD. George travelled extensively for work and loved soaking up other cultures.

In 1990, George took on the role of CEO of Danaher Corporation in Washington D.C. and his deep belief in continuous improvement, kaizen, was manifested in the Danaher Business System, establishing a powerful management engine driving great success. The family remained based in Charm City, loving the Ravens and Orioles, while establishing the Sherman Family Foundation to give back in a generous and meaningful way. George’s other happy place was always the beach, and he began to enjoy summers spent at his Lion in the Sun in Bethany Beach, DE soaking up the rays, kayaking with dolphins, and eating well with family.

George finally “retired” in 2001, which included a tranquil year where he became Chairman of the Board of Campbell Soup Company (2001-2004) after founding Cypress Group LLC (2000) then, due to excessive amounts of free time, also became Chairman of the Board of Rexnord Corp (2002-2015).

George really became his true best self after his second son David of Baltimore, MD married Vanessa Ciaruffoli and gave him his first grandchild, Basil, in 2005. Pasha (2006) and Maxwell (2009) followed and being a grandfather motivated George to finally let down his guard a bit and relish life. First son Jonathan of Brooklyn, NY married Denine LaBat and added Cosimo George to the grandkids in 2014. Third son Michael of Los Angeles, CA married Carrie Tivador in 2016 and added granddaughter Delilah in 2018. Fourth son Matthew is still single and quite a catch.

In 2017, George and Betsy were inducted into the Baltimore Sun’s Business and Civic Hall of Fame as major funders of Judy Centers, which provide comprehensive education, health and social services to low-income families, a partnership with UMBC to create the Sherman STEM Teachers Scholars Program to help produce highly qualified science, technology and math teachers for urban schools, as well as support for the Center for Urban Families, Family Tree, Teach for America, the United Way and much more. This year also saw George create Cypress Performance Group, a private industrial holding company formed by the addition of IPS to Encapsys LLC, which was purchased in 2015.

George’s final two acts reflect the man he was – on his 80th birthday surrounded by family, the biggest deal of his life closed and then, after months of not speaking, said “I love you too,” as his final words. He died peacefully with his wife and four boys holding him lovingly.

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