CORNING, NY (WENY) -- James Houghton, the former Chairman of Corning Incorporated, has passed away.

According to his obituary, Houghton passed away peacefully at home in Boston, on December 20th, after a prolonged battle with dementia. He was 86 years old.

At the time of his retirement in 2007, Houghton served as Chairman of Corning Incorporated, then Corning Glassworks, which his family founded. Previously, he joined the family business in 1962, and succeeded his brother Amo Houghton as Chairman and CEO in 1983. He initially stepped down in 1996, but came out of retirement to serve as CEO from 2002 to 2005. 

According to Corning Incorporated, "Jamie" as he was known, set the company "on track toward global innovation in a wide variety of high-tech fields, including optical fiber." When he came out of retirement in 2001, he led the company through the telecommunications industry crisis, and guided the company to be a world leader in the LCD glass industry.

James Houghton's death follows that of his brother Amory Houghton, who passed away in early 2020 at the age of 93. 

“Jamie was an exceptional leader, a dear friend, and one of my personal mentors. Whether you had the good fortune to work directly with Jamie or not, everyone at Corning has been touched by his vision and his leadership,” said Wendell P. Weeks, chairman and chief executive officer. “Jamie leaves a remarkable legacy, including the company that he was instrumental in building into one of the world’s leading innovators in materials science, the cultural institutions he strengthened with his philanthropy, the communities that he enriched with his support, and the countless lives he touched with his generosity and warmth," Weeks said.

A memorial service will he held at a later date. According to his obituary, people are asked to please consider a contribution to the Laura Richardson Houghton Youth Center in Corning, Big Tree Boating in Isleboro, Maine, or your local Planned Parenthood.