The Irish Business Organization of New York has named John Corrigan, former CEO Americas of Enterprise Ireland, the Irish government trade and technology agency, as Business Person of the Year for 2001. The award will be presented at a black-tie gala dinner on Saturday, March 16, at the Grand Hyatt Hotel.
Corrigan was CEO-Americas of Enterprise Ireland from January 1997 until last December. He was responsible for boosting sales of Irish-owned companies, particularly in the high-technology sectors, in the U.S., Canada and South America. During his tenure, exports to the U.S. leaped from $4.45 billion to $16.7 billion.
“John Corrigan has played a pivotal role in the truly dramatic expansion of trade and relationships between U.S. and Irish business, which helped create the Celtic Tiger,” said Jim Doran, the IBO president. “He has vigorously supported innovative, beneficial partnerships between Irish and American entrepreneurs.”
Under Corrigan, Enterprise Ireland opened offices in Silicon Valley, Santa Monica, Boston, Washington, D.C., and Sao Paolo, Brazil. The semi-state organization has helped scores of Irish entrepreneurs to establish themselves in the U.S. market.