George M. Prince

Weston - Mr. George M. Prince, of Weston, died Tuesday, June 9, 2009 at the Newton-Wellesley Alzheimer's Center in Wellesley. He was 91. George was born in Rochester, New York on April 5, 1918, a son of the late Howard and Marguerite (Patten) Prince. He was a business consultant for Synectics Inc. in Cambridge for thirty-eight years. George was a founder of Synectics, an international company based in Cambridge that changed its name this year to Synecticsworld. He retired in 1987 and remained more of a guru than a chairman emeritus in the field of innovation management consulting. He taught business leaders to solve problems and be inventive by, among other things, collaborating, thinking visually, and being brave enough to blurt out ideas, no matter how outrageous. George was quiet spoken, thoughtful, and his use of language was very eloquent, and his words were not wasted, and people always wanted to listen to every one of them. Companies that sought his expertise included NASA, Ford, Union Carbide, AARP, but the size of the business and the complexity of the problem had no bearing on his technique. Creativity, Mr. Prince and his colleagues noted, is a skill to be honed, not a talent. While employed at Synectics, George wrote the book, Practice of Creativity and translated it into two languages and the book was published in 1973. George was a graduate of Phillips Exeter Academy in New Hampshire and in his spare time enjoyed to go sailing. George was a World War II veteran serving with the United States Navy. George leaves his wife Kathleen Logan-Prince, two sons, John Prince of Oregon and Winthrop Prince of California, one daughter Victoria Prince of Arlington, his step-children, Victoria Logan-Harding of Houston, Texas, Joshua G. Logan of Newton, four grandchildren, two great-grandchildren, and many nieces and nephews. Family and friends will honor and remember George's life by gathering for his Funeral Mass on Tuesday July 14, 2009 at 10 a.m. in Saint Julia's Church, 374 Boston Post Road, Weston. Burial will be private. Memorial donations may be made to the Alzheimer's Association, 311 Arsenal Street, Watertown, MA 02472.