by Steve Lenox | Feb 8, 2017 | All Chapters, Blog, In The News, News
As INUSA has continued to grow, so to have our efforts to improve communications between our chapters and among our members. In the coming weeks and months we’ll be sharing exciting new ways Irish Network USA plans on meeting our mission of connecting Irish, Irish Americans and “friends” of Ireland all across the United States.
One important step we took recently, with a view towards drawing on the diverse strengths of our members, was to reorganize Irish Network USA’s leadership structure. Those changes included the creation of Regional Vice Presidents.
Those elected to fill these positions will be responsible for serving as another critical link between Irish Network USA and our chapters. It is with great excitement that we introduce to you our 4 members that have been elected to serve in these roles for their respective regions:
( Washington, DC, Philadelphia, New Orleans, Atlanta)
Eadaoin Waller is a partner in the corporate group of Andersen, Tate & Carr. Originally from Bettystown, County Meath, she did her undergraduate work at Queen’s University of Belfast. Shortly afterwards, she moved to Athens, Georgia where she graduated from the UGA School of Law in 2005. While attending law school, Ms. Waller competed in various Moot Court competitions and mistakenly thought that she wanted to be a litigator. Since then, she has seen the light and enjoys a transactional practice providing corporate and employment advice to her business clients.
Ms. Waller resides in Watkinsville. She serves on the Board of Directors of the Oconee Cultural Arts Foundation, the Gwinnett Children’s Shelter, and, most recently the IN-USA Atlanta. She always been a supporter of and participant in Irish cultural life in the South, and has been honoured to held found the Atlanta Chapter of the Irish Network, and witness the growth of a vibrant and successful Irish community in Atlanta.
When she is not helping her clients to avoid Department of Labor audits and EEOC investigations, she loves cooking and running (in unequal measures), and returning home to show her children around Ireland.
(Chicago, Cleveland, Michigan, Minnesota)
Mark Owens is the Chief Marketing Officer of the Skylight Financial Group responsible for overseeing marketing initiatives within the organization. He works to develop areas such as marketing communications, including advertising, market research and social media. Mark leads the firm’s community outreach in both Northeast Ohio and the Columbus/Dublin region.
Originally from Derry City, Mark was offered a Business Studies scholarship in Cleveland at John Carroll University in 1998, before making NE Ohio his permanent home in 2001. A founding member of IN Cleveland, Mark has been instrumental in the success of our chapter there.
He continuously encourages efforts to engage the “Global Irish” in the Ohio region. Mark is married to Maria and they two children Lillian and Eamon.
(Phoenix, Houston, Austin, Colorado)
Brendan O’Sullivan, is first generation Irish-American, born in Southern California to Irish Immigrant parents, Martin and Nancy O’Sullivan, both from County Kerry, Ireland.
Brendan began his career in the Oil & Gas Seismic Exploration industry where he worked for 15 years, which eventually brought him to Texas (Houston) in 1986. It is there where he met his wife Faith. They were married in 1989 and have two beautiful daughters, Katherine and Christina who were both born in Houston. Brendan left the Oil & Gas industry, in 1992 and began a career in manufacturing where he was the Sr. Electronics Component Buyer for Syntron Inc., in Houston. In 1996 Brendan was enticed to jump to the other side of the procurement desk and started his career in high tech sales with CompTech Sales. Brendan transferred to Austin with CompTech in July of 2000 to cover Dell. In 2003 Brendan accepted a position with ON Semiconductor as the Dell Global Account Manager. In 2010 Brendan began his career with Dell as an IT Project/Program Manager. Brendan is still with Dell today and has recently moved to the Dell Services team as a Senior Project Manager.
Brendan has been involved with the Irish in Austin since moving here and helped found the Austin Rose of Tralee in 2004 as part of the Celtic Cowboy’s Cultural side of the club. He has been involved ever since and is currently the Chairman of the Austin Rose of Tralee, now in its 12th year, as well as the sitting Cultural Chairman for the Celtic Cowboy’s Sports and Social Club. Brendan also helped found the Irish Network, Austin Chapter in 2013. Brendan is currently the sitting Network Executive Officer of IN ATX and the proud father of the 2016 Texas Rose of Tralee, Katherine O’Sullivan.
(Seattle, San Francisco, San Diego, Nevada, Portland)
Sean McGuinness is a partner at Lewis Roca Rothgerber Christie LLP, practicing out of their Reno, NV; Las Vegas, NV and Denver, CO offices. He is licensed in Nevada, Colorado, Iowa and Mississippi and his practice focuses primarily on gaming law. Sean received his J.D. from Drake University Law School in 1989. Sean is a member of the International Masters of Gaming Law and recently co-chaired a gaming law conference in Dublin, Ireland (October 2016).
He is a founding board member of Irish Network Nevada in 2013 and has been a participant at each of the Irish Network USA conferences (Washington, DC; Austin, TX, Boston, MA and San Francisco, CA). Sean’s Irish roots hail from Counties Cavan, Laois, Offaly and Westmeath.
Eadaoin, Mark, Brendan and Sean represent some of the very best of the Global Irish here in the US, and we are excited and honored that they have volunteered their time to serve in these positions.
As always, we look forward to working with all of you to find new ways to encourage investment in Ireland through business, culture, education and sport.
Thank you.
Steve,
President
by Steve Lenox | Sep 13, 2015 | All Chapters, Event Information, Press Releases
Irish Network USA is proud to announce that Mark Redmond, Chief Executive, American Chamber of Commerce Ireland will be a keynote speaker at their third annual National Conference to be held November 5-8 in Boston, MA. Mr. Redmond will address delegates during the plenary session on Friday, November 6, on the continued efforts to drive trade and investment between Ireland and the US in both directions. Mr. Redmond will also formally introduce Irish Network USA to the American Chamber’s “World of Talent in Ireland” initiative and participate in a Q&A with those in attendance.
This conference will be the third hosted by INUSA, with the first two being held in Washington, D.C. and Austin, Texas respectively. These conferences provide an opportunity for INUSA members to hear from a variety of speakers on topics related to INUSA’s mission of encouraging “investment” in Ireland. Other speakers confirmed for this year’s conference include Ambassador Anne Anderson, Christina Noble, Founder, The Noble Foundation, and Joe O’Brien, Project Manager, Crosscare Migrant Project.
“One of the pillars on which Irish Network USA has been built on is supporting the efforts of US companies seeking to do business in and through Ireland,” stated Steve Lenox, President, Irish Network USA. “Within our ranks we have countless members with the education, skills and desire to fill many of the roles that are being created in Ireland by American Chamber member companies. It is fitting that we would work with the American Chamber to achieve this goal, and we are honored that Mark Redmond would take time out of his schedule to join us at what we know will be a memorable conference.”
The American Chamber is the leading international business organization in Ireland. It represents the interests of the 700 US companies in Ireland who employ 140,000 people. In May the Chamber in partnership with IDA Ireland launched the World of Talent in Ireland campaign. The initiative promotes strength of the career opportunities that now exist in Ireland, targeting third level graduates of Irish universities.
Speaking about the event Mr. Redmond said “I am delighted to be participating in this great initiative. The key to the strength of Ireland’s relationship with the United States is the enduring commitment of leaders from business and cultural communities. IN USA is a great example of this commitment, I am looking forward to addressing the delegates on how to grow the relationship now and into the future.”
“Irish Network Boston is looking forward to welcoming INUSA members from across the country to our city in November” stated Sean Moynihan, President, IN Boston. “Many Boston companies have chosen Ireland as their European HQ, and the work of the American Chamber to make them feel right at home have led hugely to the success of their efforts. It is an honor for us locally to welcome Mark!”
With 20 chapters across the United States, and local efforts underway in an additional 7 cities/regions, Irish Network USA has the broad mission of connecting members of the “Global Irish” living in the United States by bolstering business opportunities and economic development between the United States and Ireland; supporting and encouraging Irish Arts and Culture through film, literature, theater, dance and language; encouraging and promoting the mission and expansion of Irish sports, throughout the United States; supporting the efforts of local Irish organizations and associations; and serving as a conduit between newly arrived Irish immigrants and their communities in Member cities and states.
“For our members ‘investing in Ireland’ means a lot of different things”, stated Deirdre Woodbyrne, Executive Director, Irish Network USA. “Whether it’s business, culture, education, sport, or anything else that drives one to want to connect with Ireland, we aim to provide that vehicle. In essence, we are a one stop shop for the ‘Global Irish’ to connect with Ireland in a tangible way.”
by Steve Lenox | Sep 8, 2015 | All Chapters, Blog
Last week Steve Lenox, President, INUSA, had the opportunity to attend the Global Irish Parliamentarian Forum in Dublin- following are his thoughts on the conference:
It was a pleasure to attend parts of last week’s Global Irish Parliamentarian Forum hosted by the Department of Foreign Affairs in Dublin.
While I don’t hold public office, getting a chance to speak with elected officials from not only the U.S. but also Canada, UK and Australia gave me even greater insight into the Global Irish which will serve me well with both efforts on behalf of the clients I represent and in my role as President of Irish Network USA.
Of special significance for me was the attendance of two members of the New Jersey Legislature, both of whom I have great respect for. Assemblyman Wayne DeAngelo and Assemblyman Tim Eustace took time out of their busy schedules to attend this Forum, not just for the “craic”, but also to be part of the meaningful discussions that took place with their counterparts from across the globe.
What I heard, first during their time speaking on the floor of the Dail, a rare honor accorded to very few foreign elected officials, and then throughout other parts of the program, reminded me again that connecting with each other online is valuable, but there is no substitute for a face to face connection.
In addition to their “Irishness”, all of the participants, regardless of political party, have a passion for the work they do, and put remarkable efforts towards making the communities they serve stronger and even better. From jobs creation to educational opportunities, those in attendance were reminded again that there is much more that unites us than divides us, and often came back to the realization that there is something in their DNA, a passion for helping others, a desire to give just a little bit more, that gives them a particular focus and drive to do their jobs.
The compassion in their hearts, and deep understanding of the suffering of generations past, also brought them back to the current global crisis that is bring us disturbing images of great suffering among Syrian refugees forced to leave their homes in hopes that something better is waiting for them. How can the lessons of the Irish Diaspora be applied to helping these poor families who have lost so much, and likely face years, if not generations, of difficulty in being forced to assimilate into a new culture?
Were all of the problems and issues these lawmakers face on behalf of their constituents solved? Absolutely not. But meaningful conversation leads to meaningful solutions, and all in attendance have returned home, with more than they started with when the gavel was brought down to convene the Forum. Minister Jimmy Deenihan and the Global Irish Unit outdid themselves again, and deserve great credit for bringing this wonderful event to Dublin.
by Steve Lenox | Jun 5, 2015 | Blog, News
Over the past two days members of nine Irish Network USA chapters joined over 200 delegates from 17 countries in Dublin for the inaugural Global Irish Civic Forum.
Hosted by Minister Jimmy Deenihan and the Department of Foreign Affairs this forum was an opportunity for leaders from within the Irish community around the world to come together to speak about engaging the Irish Diaspora which is estimated to include 70 million people worldwide.
Panel discussions focused on topics such as Irish identity and heritage, reaching out to Irish citizens abroad, and challenges facing new emigrants. With several members asking questions from the floor, Steve Lenox moderating one of the panels that also included Nancy Wormington from Irish Network Kansas City and members playing key roles in the afternoon workshops, INUSA was front and center throughout this important event.
This forum was a great opportunity for INUSA to network and build relationships with organizations, from across the US and the globe, which share a common mission to engage the Irish community. The time in Dublin also gave us an opportunity to spend considerable time with decision makers in the Government to share our successes and to discuss our plans for future growth. INUSA was reassured that our relationships with the Irish Government and with the Irish Embassy and Consulates across the US are stronger than ever!
Finally, the Forum gave us an opportunity to invite our counterparts from around the globe to join us in continuing these conversations at our annual conference which will take place November 5-8 in Boston.
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by Steve Lenox | Apr 1, 2015 | Blog, News
An integral part of our mission is to create and strengthen economic opportunities between and among Irish Network USA chapters as well as to strengthen trade links between our INUSA cities and Ireland. Ireland and the United States have a deep and rich history that has been shaped by the presence of vibrant Irish-American communities across country, whose pride and appreciation of their heritage have maintained a special bond with Ireland.
Irish Network USA prides itself on being able to provide our nationwide membership network with opportunities to connect with social, economic and cultural opportunities both in the United States and in Ireland. Currently, we connect members from twenty one chapters across the United States and have several chapters in formation. Through our national reach and relationships, we’ve played a significant role in helping to facilitate economic and cultural exchange on both sides of the Atlantic through programing, partnerships and support from the Irish Government.
This year, we are excited to announce that we are participating in Gateway to Europe events in two of our chapter cities, Atlanta and Chicago. The events will bring together speakers, companies and organizations that highlight the benefits of doing business in Ireland. Irish Network USA will be there to not only help attendees connect with Ireland, but also connect with other chapters across the United States.
For more visit: http://www.gatewaytoeurope.org/
Chicago
April 14, 2015
Atlanta
April 16, 2015
