2014 Sponsors
2014 Honorees
Páraic Duffy
Director General of the Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA)
Recipient of the Sir Michael Smurfit Business Achievement Award
Páraic Duffy is the 18th Director General of the Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA). The GAA is an Irish and international sporting and cultural organisation which was founded in 1884 to promote the Gaelic games of hurling, Gaelic football, handball and rounders. With 2,000 clubs, it is Ireland’s largest sporting organisation and has considerable reach to communities throughout Ireland and to the diaspora through 400 clubs in North America, Britain, Asia and Europe. Croke Park, the headquarters of the GAA, boasts one of the most modern stadiums in Europe. As well as hosting major GAA games, it is one of Europe’s largest concert venues, has hosted major Soccer and Rugby internationals and on 30 August 2014 was the venue as the college football teams of Penn State and University of Central Florida played met in the opening game of their competitive season, a game that was televised on ESPN. The GAA is currently undertaken a complete rebuild of their stadiums in Cork and Belfast, a huge investment for the organisation, and GAA stadiums will host most of the games in the event of Ireland’s bid for the 2023 World Rugby Cup being successful. Páraic served as GAA Player Welfare Manager from January 2007 and became its Director General in February 2008. As a volunteer, he had previously chaired the organisation’s Audit, Coaching and Games, and Games Administration committees, as well as completing a five year term as Chairman of Monaghan County Committee. Before joining the GAA staff in 2007, he was the first Lay Principal of St. Macartan’s College, Monaghan, one of Ireland’s largest Catholic boy’s second-level schools, from August 1996 until January 2007. As Director General of the GAA, he has managed the Association through financially challenging times and healthy attendance figures and strong commercial revenues, through sponsorships and media rights, have put the GAA in a sound financial position. He was central to winning the organisation’s support for recognition of the Gaelic Players Association as the GAA players’ representative body in 2010 and to the reshaping of the inter-county championships. Páraic played an important role in facilitating Queen Elizabeth‘s highly significant visit to Croke Park, scene of the Bloody Sunday massacre of 1920, during her historic visit to Ireland in May 2011 and has prioritised an ongoing commitment by the GAA to building a positive and shared future for all the people of Ireland, founded on cooperation, mutual respect and an understanding and acceptance of differing traditions of Irish people. Páraic holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from UCD and a Master’s in Education Management from the University of Ulster.
Director General of the Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA)
Recipient of the Sir Michael Smurfit Business Achievement Award
Páraic Duffy is the 18th Director General of the Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA). The GAA is an Irish and international sporting and cultural organisation which was founded in 1884 to promote the Gaelic games of hurling, Gaelic football, handball and rounders. With 2,000 clubs, it is Ireland’s largest sporting organisation and has considerable reach to communities throughout Ireland and to the diaspora through 400 clubs in North America, Britain, Asia and Europe. Croke Park, the headquarters of the GAA, boasts one of the most modern stadiums in Europe. As well as hosting major GAA games, it is one of Europe’s largest concert venues, has hosted major Soccer and Rugby internationals and on 30 August 2014 was the venue as the college football teams of Penn State and University of Central Florida played met in the opening game of their competitive season, a game that was televised on ESPN. The GAA is currently undertaken a complete rebuild of their stadiums in Cork and Belfast, a huge investment for the organisation, and GAA stadiums will host most of the games in the event of Ireland’s bid for the 2023 World Rugby Cup being successful. Páraic served as GAA Player Welfare Manager from January 2007 and became its Director General in February 2008. As a volunteer, he had previously chaired the organisation’s Audit, Coaching and Games, and Games Administration committees, as well as completing a five year term as Chairman of Monaghan County Committee. Before joining the GAA staff in 2007, he was the first Lay Principal of St. Macartan’s College, Monaghan, one of Ireland’s largest Catholic boy’s second-level schools, from August 1996 until January 2007. As Director General of the GAA, he has managed the Association through financially challenging times and healthy attendance figures and strong commercial revenues, through sponsorships and media rights, have put the GAA in a sound financial position. He was central to winning the organisation’s support for recognition of the Gaelic Players Association as the GAA players’ representative body in 2010 and to the reshaping of the inter-county championships. Páraic played an important role in facilitating Queen Elizabeth‘s highly significant visit to Croke Park, scene of the Bloody Sunday massacre of 1920, during her historic visit to Ireland in May 2011 and has prioritised an ongoing commitment by the GAA to building a positive and shared future for all the people of Ireland, founded on cooperation, mutual respect and an understanding and acceptance of differing traditions of Irish people. Páraic holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from UCD and a Master’s in Education Management from the University of Ulster.
Kevin Cummings
President and Chief Executive Officer of Investors Bank
Recipient of the Sir Michael Smurfit Business Achievement Award
Kevin Cummings, was appointed President and Chief Executive Officer of Investors Bank on January 1, 2008. He was also appointed to the Board of Directors on the same date. From July 2003 to January 2008 he served as Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer. Mr. Cummings and the Senior Executive Management team are guiding the Bank’s strategic expansion and evolution into a full-service community and commercial bank. Under this current Executive Team’s leadership, Investors is experiencing significant growth while remaining financially strong and well capitalized. The Bank’s outstanding level of performance was recognized as one of the top 25 performing, publicly traded, small-cap banks in the U.S. on Sandler O’Neill’s “Bank & Thrift Sm-All Stars” report for three consecutive years beginning in 2011. Investors was named on Forbes’ “Best Banks in America” list in both 2012 and 2013 and in 2012 appeared on Fortune’s “Top 100 Fastest Growing Companies” list. In addition, Mr. Cummings was the only banker named on NJBiz’s 2013 “Power 50 Real Estate & Construction Report” and received the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year® 2011 New Jersey Award for his success in transforming the Bank into a growth company. Prior to joining Investors Bank, Mr. Cummings had a 26-year career with the independent accounting firm of KPMG LLP. He was an audit partner in the Financial Services practice in the New York office and lead partner on a major commercial banking client. Mr. Cummings also worked in the New Jersey community bank practice for over 20 years serving clients such as Summit Bank, Valley National Bank, Provident Bank and Hudson City Bank. A 1976 graduate of Middlebury College in Vermont with a BA in Economics, Mr. Cummings was the recipient of the Harry M. Fife Award for Excellence in Economics and Athletics. While at Middlebury, he played basketball and baseball, and ended his basketball career as the school’s all-time leading scorer. After college graduation he earned a Masters in Business Administration from Rutgers University School of Business and recently gave the commencement address for the MBA Program’s graduation ceremony in May 2013. Mr. Cummings is a certified public accountant and has been a frequent speaker at seminars on topics ranging from mergers and acquisitions, to business leadership, as well as marketing and branding. Born and raised in Jersey City, Mr. Cummings is one of five siblings. He and his wife of 32 years, Patricia, are residents of Summit, NJ. Mr. Cummings has served as a Commissioner on the Summit Board of Recreation. He is a member of the Audit and Finance Committee at St. Peter’s Prep, a Jesuit high school in Jersey City, former Chairman of the Board and current Trustee of the Summit Speech School, a Trustee of The Scholarship Fund for Inner-City Children, a Trustee of the Liberty Science Center, a Trustee for the Visiting Nurse Assn. Health Group and the former Chairman of the Board and current member of the Executive Committee of the New Jersey Bankers Association. He is also a board member of The Federal Home Loan Bank of New York (FHLBNY), the Independent College Fund of New Jersey and the All Stars Project of New Jersey. Most recently, he agreed to serve as a member of the Development Leadership Council of Morris Habitat for Humanity. In his spare time he has coached youth basketball in Summit at the AAU, recreation and CYO level, and has served as the Athletic Director of St. Theresa’s of Avila. He and Patricia have four children: Katie, a graduate of Bowdoin College in Maine, Kevin, a graduate of the College of the Holy Cross, Mary, a graduate of Colby College, and William, a senior at the College of the Holy Cross.
President and Chief Executive Officer of Investors Bank
Recipient of the Sir Michael Smurfit Business Achievement Award
Kevin Cummings, was appointed President and Chief Executive Officer of Investors Bank on January 1, 2008. He was also appointed to the Board of Directors on the same date. From July 2003 to January 2008 he served as Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer. Mr. Cummings and the Senior Executive Management team are guiding the Bank’s strategic expansion and evolution into a full-service community and commercial bank. Under this current Executive Team’s leadership, Investors is experiencing significant growth while remaining financially strong and well capitalized. The Bank’s outstanding level of performance was recognized as one of the top 25 performing, publicly traded, small-cap banks in the U.S. on Sandler O’Neill’s “Bank & Thrift Sm-All Stars” report for three consecutive years beginning in 2011. Investors was named on Forbes’ “Best Banks in America” list in both 2012 and 2013 and in 2012 appeared on Fortune’s “Top 100 Fastest Growing Companies” list. In addition, Mr. Cummings was the only banker named on NJBiz’s 2013 “Power 50 Real Estate & Construction Report” and received the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year® 2011 New Jersey Award for his success in transforming the Bank into a growth company. Prior to joining Investors Bank, Mr. Cummings had a 26-year career with the independent accounting firm of KPMG LLP. He was an audit partner in the Financial Services practice in the New York office and lead partner on a major commercial banking client. Mr. Cummings also worked in the New Jersey community bank practice for over 20 years serving clients such as Summit Bank, Valley National Bank, Provident Bank and Hudson City Bank. A 1976 graduate of Middlebury College in Vermont with a BA in Economics, Mr. Cummings was the recipient of the Harry M. Fife Award for Excellence in Economics and Athletics. While at Middlebury, he played basketball and baseball, and ended his basketball career as the school’s all-time leading scorer. After college graduation he earned a Masters in Business Administration from Rutgers University School of Business and recently gave the commencement address for the MBA Program’s graduation ceremony in May 2013. Mr. Cummings is a certified public accountant and has been a frequent speaker at seminars on topics ranging from mergers and acquisitions, to business leadership, as well as marketing and branding. Born and raised in Jersey City, Mr. Cummings is one of five siblings. He and his wife of 32 years, Patricia, are residents of Summit, NJ. Mr. Cummings has served as a Commissioner on the Summit Board of Recreation. He is a member of the Audit and Finance Committee at St. Peter’s Prep, a Jesuit high school in Jersey City, former Chairman of the Board and current Trustee of the Summit Speech School, a Trustee of The Scholarship Fund for Inner-City Children, a Trustee of the Liberty Science Center, a Trustee for the Visiting Nurse Assn. Health Group and the former Chairman of the Board and current member of the Executive Committee of the New Jersey Bankers Association. He is also a board member of The Federal Home Loan Bank of New York (FHLBNY), the Independent College Fund of New Jersey and the All Stars Project of New Jersey. Most recently, he agreed to serve as a member of the Development Leadership Council of Morris Habitat for Humanity. In his spare time he has coached youth basketball in Summit at the AAU, recreation and CYO level, and has served as the Athletic Director of St. Theresa’s of Avila. He and Patricia have four children: Katie, a graduate of Bowdoin College in Maine, Kevin, a graduate of the College of the Holy Cross, Mary, a graduate of Colby College, and William, a senior at the College of the Holy Cross.
Pearse Lyons
Founder and President of Alltech Inc.
Recipient of the Sir Michael Smurfit Business Achievement Award
Dr. T. Pearse Lyons is the founder and president of Alltech, a top-10 animal health company that employs more than 3,500 people and conducts business in 128 countries. Founded in 1980 with $10,000 capital, the company has grown to annual sales of nearly $1 billion. Dr. Lyons is widely recognized as an innovative industry leader. His scientific expertise, combined with an acute business sense, helped revolutionize the animal feed industry through the introduction of natural ingredients to feed. Now in its fourth decade of business, Alltech improves the health and performance of people, animals and plants through natural nutrition and scientific innovation. Dr. Lyons received his bachelor’s degree from University College Dublin, Ireland and obtained his master’s and doctoral degrees at the University of Birmingham, England. He later worked as a biochemist for Irish Distillers before founding Alltech. Since then, he has authored more than 20 books and numerous research papers in scientific journals. Dr. Lyons was acknowledged as leading one of the top 100 fastest-growing high-tech companies by World Trade Magazine. He has been recognized for his contribution to science and industry and has been awarded honorary doctorates from the University of Plymouth, England; Heriot-Watt University, Scotland; and the University of Kentucky, Centre College, Eastern Kentucky University and the University of Pikeville, United States. University College Dublin awarded Lyons an honorary doctorate on the occasion of its 150th anniversary. In 2012, Dr. Lyons was named Business Person of the Year by Business and Finance, was honored as one of Irish America’s Business 100 and received the prestigious Ireland-U.S. Council Award for Outstanding Achievement. In 2013, he was once again named to Irish America’s Business 100 and was selected to receive the Commander’s Award for Public Service, a rarely presented official U.S. Army medal. Dr. Lyons has spearheaded Alltech’s commitment to international equestrian sport, beginning with the Alltech FEI World Equestrian GamesTM 2010 in Lexington, Kentucky, which were ttended by more than half a million spectators from all 50 U.S. states and 63 countries and joined by another 500 million television viewers. Dr. Lyons’ leadership in the historic event led to his receipt of the Commonwealth of Kentucky’s first-ever Legacy Award in 2011. Alltech is proud to continue its partnership with these elite world championships. The Alltech FEI World Equestrian GamesTM 2014 in Normandy, France, will take place from August 23 to September 7, 2014.
Founder and President of Alltech Inc.
Recipient of the Sir Michael Smurfit Business Achievement Award
Dr. T. Pearse Lyons is the founder and president of Alltech, a top-10 animal health company that employs more than 3,500 people and conducts business in 128 countries. Founded in 1980 with $10,000 capital, the company has grown to annual sales of nearly $1 billion. Dr. Lyons is widely recognized as an innovative industry leader. His scientific expertise, combined with an acute business sense, helped revolutionize the animal feed industry through the introduction of natural ingredients to feed. Now in its fourth decade of business, Alltech improves the health and performance of people, animals and plants through natural nutrition and scientific innovation. Dr. Lyons received his bachelor’s degree from University College Dublin, Ireland and obtained his master’s and doctoral degrees at the University of Birmingham, England. He later worked as a biochemist for Irish Distillers before founding Alltech. Since then, he has authored more than 20 books and numerous research papers in scientific journals. Dr. Lyons was acknowledged as leading one of the top 100 fastest-growing high-tech companies by World Trade Magazine. He has been recognized for his contribution to science and industry and has been awarded honorary doctorates from the University of Plymouth, England; Heriot-Watt University, Scotland; and the University of Kentucky, Centre College, Eastern Kentucky University and the University of Pikeville, United States. University College Dublin awarded Lyons an honorary doctorate on the occasion of its 150th anniversary. In 2012, Dr. Lyons was named Business Person of the Year by Business and Finance, was honored as one of Irish America’s Business 100 and received the prestigious Ireland-U.S. Council Award for Outstanding Achievement. In 2013, he was once again named to Irish America’s Business 100 and was selected to receive the Commander’s Award for Public Service, a rarely presented official U.S. Army medal. Dr. Lyons has spearheaded Alltech’s commitment to international equestrian sport, beginning with the Alltech FEI World Equestrian GamesTM 2010 in Lexington, Kentucky, which were ttended by more than half a million spectators from all 50 U.S. states and 63 countries and joined by another 500 million television viewers. Dr. Lyons’ leadership in the historic event led to his receipt of the Commonwealth of Kentucky’s first-ever Legacy Award in 2011. Alltech is proud to continue its partnership with these elite world championships. The Alltech FEI World Equestrian GamesTM 2014 in Normandy, France, will take place from August 23 to September 7, 2014.
Christina Noble
Founder of the Christina Noble Children’s Foundation
Recipient of Albert Schweitzer's Leadership for Life Award
Christina Noble OBE, is an exceptional, inspiring person. She has, by her own effort and example and with an unselfish willingness to serve, shown the world that street children are a vital part of humanity – that the abuse and maltreatment suffered by children can be stopped. By providing love, and by giving back dignity to over 700,000 disadvantaged and destitute children and their families in Mongolia and Vietnam, she has shown us that they can be empowered to fulfill their proper role in society. Since 1991 Christina Noble and her Foundation have established over 120 projects and programmes in Vietnam & Mongolia. Today the work of the Foundation continues to impacts the lives of over 20,000 children and their families annually. Christina Noble is a child of the impoverished Liberties of Dublin during the 1940’s – 1950’s. Christina endured a childhood of loss, isolation & tragedy. After the early death of her mother, Christina was separated from her five siblings and committed to an abusive state institution. Christina escaped several times, ending up living in the streets and parks of Dublin. Christina knows first hand of the pain and betrayal of a lost childhood. A biopic feature film ‘NOBLE’ has been made on Christina and will be released in September 2014- NOBLE.
Founder of the Christina Noble Children’s Foundation
Recipient of Albert Schweitzer's Leadership for Life Award
Christina Noble OBE, is an exceptional, inspiring person. She has, by her own effort and example and with an unselfish willingness to serve, shown the world that street children are a vital part of humanity – that the abuse and maltreatment suffered by children can be stopped. By providing love, and by giving back dignity to over 700,000 disadvantaged and destitute children and their families in Mongolia and Vietnam, she has shown us that they can be empowered to fulfill their proper role in society. Since 1991 Christina Noble and her Foundation have established over 120 projects and programmes in Vietnam & Mongolia. Today the work of the Foundation continues to impacts the lives of over 20,000 children and their families annually. Christina Noble is a child of the impoverished Liberties of Dublin during the 1940’s – 1950’s. Christina endured a childhood of loss, isolation & tragedy. After the early death of her mother, Christina was separated from her five siblings and committed to an abusive state institution. Christina escaped several times, ending up living in the streets and parks of Dublin. Christina knows first hand of the pain and betrayal of a lost childhood. A biopic feature film ‘NOBLE’ has been made on Christina and will be released in September 2014- NOBLE.
Event Location & Date
October 16, 2014The Pierre Hotel
2 E 61st Street
New York, NY 10065