The Irish American Partnership held its fifth annual New York Business Leaders Breakfast on April 18, 2024.
Paul Geaney, President and Chief Commercial Officer at Avolon, was presented with the 2024 New York Business Leadership Award. Over 300 business leaders, friends, and supporters turned out to celebrate Geaney, Irish leadership and ingenuity.
Mary Sugrue, Chief Executive Officer of the Partnership, kicked off the event. She welcomed guests, summed up the Partnership’s mission, and thanked supporters, saying: “I am delighted that this our 5th annual Business Leadership Breakfast was so well received at the historic Union League Club of New York, bringing together a diverse and vibrant community with clear interest in and affection for Ireland.”
Next up Consul General Helena Nolan, who praised the Partnership’s mission and its impact on Irish education, particularly in primary schools on both sides of the border, saying:
“Your investment – in educational and creative opportunities, in culture and communities, and in reconciliation projects in Northern Ireland – has a deep and meaningful impact on young lives. Your contribution allows them to reach their true potential on an island at peace, a shared island with a shared future.”
The Partnership’s primary focus to transform the lives of young Irish people through direct, targeted grants to students, schools, universities, and effective grassroots organizations across the island, North and South. One hundred percent of all gifts are directed to educational programs empowering the young people of Ireland.
One innovative initiative that it supports teaches younger people how to kick an American football. It’s an idea that might seem easy to dismiss. Still, the Partnership saw value in Leader Kicking, and its founder, Tadhg Leader, spoke of the impact that initial funding had — today, the organization serves 650 young people, andtwo of its graduates have joined NFL teams, others have received scholarships to American colleges.
Following Tadhg’s presentation, guests enjoyed an in-depth interview with Dublin native Paul Geaney, a founding member of Avolon, the Irish-born global leader in aviation finance. With 145 airline customers in 64 countries, Avolon’s reported net income of $339m and $31bn in total assets.
Geaney took questions from Brian Ruane, Senior Executive Vice President BNY Mellon and Partnership board members. In an easy back and forth, he talked about how failures can turn into successes when you stick with it. His advice to those starting their careers is, “Find a company where you feel you will be valued” and do whatever job you get to the best of your ability and grow with it.”
Geaney said that falling in love with a Scottish girl, his wife Lynne, and flying back and forth to her homeland during their courtship, nurtured his love of aviation.
Chairman of the Partnership Michael T. Clune, himself a tremendous success (Irish America’s Dreamer of Dreams Award in 2019 recipient), presented Paul with the 2024 New York Business Leadership Award: “We would like to congratulate Paul on his innovation and contribution to Irish business and the global aircraft leasing industry. This award is truly deserved and a testament to Paul’s ingenuity and hard work. He now shares the Irish American Partnership Business Leadership Award with some of the sultans of global commerce.”
On receiving the award Geaney said: “I’m very grateful to the Irish American Partnership for this award, which I accept on behalf of the Avolon team, whose amazing efforts have built us into one of the world’s leading aviation finance companies. We take great pride in using our expertise, our capital and our orderbook of new aircraft to support our customer airlines in facilitating the social and economic benefits of air travel. The Partnership’s philanthropic work funding education, community development, and peace initiatives in Ireland is hugely important, and all involved are to be commended for their ongoing support.”
The 2024 Business Leadership Breakfast was co-chaired by Brian Ruane, Global Head of Clearance and Collateral Management with BNY Mellon and Board member of the Partnership, Tommy Dwyer, and Sean Clune, President of Clune Construction New York.
ABOUT THE IRISH AMERICAN PARTNERSHIP:
Dedicated to connecting Irish America and friends of Ireland to their heritage through targeted giving – we invest in education, community development, and peace initiatives across the island of Ireland. Since our inception in 1986, our supporters have raised over $56 million for young people and communities, North and South, empowering and educating the next generation of global leaders. The Partnership provides targeted grants to schools, provides university access scholarships, funds education centers for homeless youth, supports peace and reconciliation initiatives in Northern Ireland, and champions Gaelic games, Irish arts, culture, and more. To learn more, visit: www.irishap.org.
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