It is that time of year again and, out of more than 150 entries forthe title of Entrepreneur of the Year, 24 have made it on to the shortlist,writes Ciaran Brennan
Some 24 Irish business people have been shortlisted for the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Awards. There were more than 150 entries from a wide range of business interests for this year's event, which is organised in conjunction with The Irish Times, Enterprise Ireland, Shannon Development, RTÉ and the Irish Centre for Business Excellence.
The awards will be presented at a gala reception in Dublin next September.
As part of the prize, the winner will be entered into the Ernst & Young World Entrepreneur of the Year Awards, which will take place in Summer 2003.
The winner of the Irish competition last year was Monaghan-based businessman Mr Martin McVicar, director of Combilift Ltd, the first engine-powered, fourway, all-wheel hydrostatically driven industrial forklift.
Previous winners were Mr Denis O'Brien in 1998, Riverdance creators Ms Moya Doherty and Mr John McColgan in 1999, and Mr Eddie Jordan, owner of the Jordan Formula One motor racing team in 2000.
"The number of nominees put forward for assessment reached an all-time high of more than 150 great entrepreneurs, 50 per cent up on last year's and quite amazing for a small open economy like Ireland's," said Mr Enda Kelly, Ernst & Young partner-in-charge of emerging growth companies.
"Ernst & Young runs this awards programme in 25 countries - accounting for 85 per cent of world GDP - across the globe in exactly the same way and, on a per capita of adult population, Ireland has one of the highest incidences of entrepreneurs."
The Irish judging panel, which will be chaired by Mr Denis O'Brien, comprises Mr Pat Maher, director of Enterprise Ireland; Mr Pat McDonagh, chairman of Riverdeep; Mr Martin McVicar, managing director of Combilift; Mr Patrick O'Neill, chief executive of the Irish Centre for Business Excellence; Mr Maurice Pratt, chief executive of Cantrell & Cochrane; Ms Anne Riordan, director of MediaLab Europe; and Ms Ann Shaw, chairman of the Institute of Directors in Northern Ireland.
Finalists have been shortlisted in three separate categories:
Emerging Entrepreneur of the Year;
Industry Entrepreneur of the Year; and
International Services Entrepreneur of the Year.
Nominees in the Emerging Entrepreneur of the Year include: Mr Conor Foley, managing director of Sports Spread; Mr Andrew Jones, managing director of Clearstream Technologies; Mr Ali Murdoch, chief executive of Buy 4 Now; Mr David McKernan, managing director of Java Republic; Mr John O'Dea, general manager of Caradyne Ltd; Mr Raomal Perera, chief executive of Network 365; Mr David Phelan and Mr Pat Rigney, joint managing directors of the Roaring Water Bay Spirits Co Ltd; and Mr John Quinn, chief executive of Xonen Technologies.
In the Industry Entrepreneur of the Year 2002, the nominees include: Mr Bill Cullen, chairman of Renault Distribution; Mr William Doyle, managing director of Newbridge Cutlery Co; Mr Liam Lacey, chairman of Tanco Engineering; Dr Pearse Lyons, president of Alltech; Mr Padraig O'Ceidigh, managing director of Aer Arann Express; Mr Michael Ryan, chief executive of Kleerex Group; Ms Rita Shah, chief executive of Shabra Plastics and Packaging; and Dr John Teeling, chairman of Cooley Distillery.
Nominees in the International Services Entrepreneur of the Year award are: Mr Damian Fannan and Mr Jerry Hughes, joint managing directors of Inflight Auto; Ms Angela Kennedy, board director of Megazyme International; Mr Terence Monaghan, chief executive of Betatherm Sensors; Mr Brian McCarthy, chief executive of Fexco; Mr Cathal McGloin, chief executive of Performix Technologies; Mr Jonny Parkes, managing director of Electric Paper; Mr Frank Salmon, managing director of CMS Peripherals; and Mr Peter Sherry, operations director of Macalla Software.
