Joseph Ray Carter

Joseph Carter, an executive and community leader, died on September 20, 2009. He was active in the Worcester community for decades. A graduate of Penn State University in 1940, he learned the fundamentals of manufacturing in summer jobs in Pennsylvania steel mills. He served as a lieutenant in the U.S. Navy aboard the USS Fall River during World War II. Joseph Carter came to Worcester as vice president of operations with Pittsburgh Steel, joining Wyman-Gordon in 1957. He was named chief executive in 1972 and chairman of the board in 1978. Wyman-Gordon was a highly successful Fortune 500 company during his tenure, and he was credited with modernizing the company’s operations for manufacturing metal parts for aviation and industrial uses. He retired from Wyman-Gordon in 1983, continuing to serve on its board for six more years. A member of many boards, including Memorial Hospital, his visionary leadership helped launch Massachusetts Biomedical Initiatives, a biotechnology research park and incubator, where he secured the initial $5 million of venture capital for research. He was also instrumental in building Worcester’s civic center in 1982.