Leadership

Sir Michael Smurfit, KBE (born 7 August 1936), is a businessman holding Irish citizenship. In the 2010 Irish Independent Rich List, he was listed at 25th, with a €368 million personal fortune. During his tenure at the helm of the Jefferson Smurfit Group, Smurfit led the early expansion of the Group in the Republic of Ireland and the United Kingdom.

He followed this with a series of acquisitions in the U.S., Latin America and Continental Europe, creating in the process Ireland’s first international company and a global leader in paper-based packaging. As chairman, Smurfit has recently overseen the merger of the Smurfit Group with Kappa Packaging BV to form the Smurfit Kappa Group, employing 42,000 employees in 33 countries on 5 continents. The group had sales of €6 billion in 2009.

He currently owns 4.9% of Smurfit Kappa. He is also a director of Ballymore International, a property development and investment group, and has investments in other small companies.

Maurice A. Buckley is the Founder, Chief Executive Officer and President of The Ireland Chamber of Commerce – United States which promotes business between USA & Ireland and has played an important role in the success of the Celtic Tiger, making Ireland one of the most successful economies in the world today.

Maurice is the Chairman of ECO Systems International, a worldwide distributor of fuel saving and emissions reducing technology – the ECO Unit. Focusing on its continuous development to further protect and preserve the environment.

He is a former President of NECO (National Ethnic Coalition) which presents every year the Ellis Island Medal of Honor. The Medal is presented to outstanding American citizens from all walks of life that have distinguished themselves among their specific ethnic groups. The Ellis Island Medal of Honor ranks among this country’s most prestigious awards officially recognized by both the US Senate and the US House of Representatives.

Previously, he served as Chief Executive Officer and President of Pamarco Technologies, directing the growth of that firm from $25 million in annual revenues to more than $130 million in four years.

In 1965, Maurice founded MAB Group, a European manufacturer in the graphic arts field. In 1974, he became chief executive of a publicly traded industrial firm listed on the Dublin Stock Exchange. He currently serves as a consultant to several international business operations.

He is also a Knight of Malta. He is a recipient of the prestigious Ellis Island Medal of Honor. He is committed to the ICCUSA Foundation, Inc. which is the sister charity to the Ireland Chamber of Commerce – USA, who hosts the Albert Schweitzer Leadership for Life Conference in Ireland every summer.