In the shadow of each other, the people live

I have blogged previously about Dublin based Munster dynamo Raymond Sexton’s innovative Tangible Flight Plan 2009 initiative. He had us take-off in Dublin in the first week out of the blocks in the New Year and we have touched down for a Shannon Stop-Over in Limerick. Now we are en route to the Big Apple next week.

What is the plan? Put simply, we are trying to unlock opportunity right now for US corporations – both large and small – to do business in Ireland and for Irish entrepreneurs, innovators and companies to break into the United States.

Raymond’s determination is that together we can rediscover the basic elements of success: Time,Treasure and Talent. 

The Tangible series has been bringing together people who have something to contribute and value to add. There have been some fascinating speakers and action yielding discussions. Genuinely everyone who has attended has benefited. There have been a few epiphanies, but more have discerned a growing spirit of positivity and sense of direction. Some exciting ideas and actions have been stimulated and new business is going to be done amongst the assembled passengers and crew!

The old Irish Proverb: Ar scáth a chéile a mhaireann na daoine (In the shadow of each other, the people live)
 
We need inspiration, followed by encouragement, supported by teamwork, access to empathetic financial resources and a genuine determination to succeed.

The line up helping to map the onward course in New York is as follows:-

• Con Clarke, Consultant/Lobbyist/Former Operations Director Aer Lingus – ‘There's still a few chancers around the place'
  
• Frank O'Rourke, Lawyer/President & CEO The Monnet-Madison Institute Inc. – a transatlantic educational partnership for the future of the European and American Unions.
  
• David Cahill, Senior Executive Salesforce.com – Computing in the Clouds
  
• Edward Gaffney, CEO Metroswag.com, Akron, Ohio – Live Global/Wear Local – Metroswag
  
• Mike Flannery, CEO Redwood Partners & Co-Chair Friends of Belfast Association of New York – Collaborating and Innovating in a Digital Era
  
• Mark Finlay, CEO Barnabas Ventures, the economic development company – Belfast once a City of 2 halves, now a city of 7 Quarters!  (Just like New York) 
  
• John Kelly, CEO Irish Chamber Orchestra – a 'key note' address: Words of  Wisdom interspersed with Powerful Music  
  
• Lori Heinel, Senior Advisor Citi Private  Bank – Overview of US Economic Outlook 
  
• Bill Harvey, Director Eastern Consolidated – Real Estate Overview
  
• Val Fenti, City Councillor/Business Owner – Canandaigua, Up State New York – Great place to live, work, and play
  

With this mix of contributors from Boston, New York, Ohio and Ireland along with a wide range of attendees we are going to have a Brain Storm on how we can collaborate to re-energise the economies of these two great countries: United States of America and the Island of Ireland.

Also, I hear clever people are working on flat out to permit a significant announcement to be made from the dais. Watch this space!! 

This event will be held on the morning of Thursday May 7 in the Olympic Suite, 10th Floor, New York Athletic Club, 180 Central Park S, New York, NY 10019, United States of America

If you are interested contact Raymond – or I guess just turn up ;-}

Immediately afterwards the New York based Trustees of the Presidents’ Club thought it would be a good idea to convene an informal buffet lunch gathering. I am delighted to say that our good friends at Invest Northern Ireland have agreed to support this initiative. Thus if you are in New York on Thursday, May 7 for business, or to attend the American Ireland Fund Dinner, why not come to along to 2 great back-to-back events!!

ulster lions

I am so delighted to see Tommy Bowe and Stephen Ferris representing Ulster interests on the British & Irish Lions forthcoming tour of South Africa. 

The last time we had two Ulstermen on a Lions tour was when my friends Trevor Ringland and David Irwin were part of the 1983 tour to New Zealand. Let's hope our two new young Lions enjoy a little more success in the red jersey than the now longer in the tooth Ulster two (when I recall we went down 4-0 in the test series)!

Also, I seem to recall that Trev only played one test (while davy played 3).....let's hope Tommy gets more of a look in.

Minister responds to our concerns on empty rates

I met with Finance Minister Nigel Dodds just before Easter, along with the Chairman of the RICS NI and our Executive Director and Policy Officer. I was very impressed with the way the Minister conducted the meeting. He comes across very well one-to-one and offered a listening ear and expressed willingness to be constructive.  He smiled too.... I think all our politicians should smile more and be less adversarial.  

We had a busy agenda on the NI Investment Strategy, the importance of driving delivery and the need for a steady workload as opposed to peaks of demand.

Amongst the items I raised concerns being expressed to me (which I empathise with) about the impact of empty rates on businesses at this difficult time. 

I am delighted to note the Minister has acceded to my request and announced 'an evaluation of the policy on the rating of empty commercial premises. This will look at the effectiveness and impact of the policy over the five years it has been in place, as well as considering its effect during this current economic downturn.'

Well done sir!

http://www.northernireland.gov.uk/news/news-dfp-090409-minister-meets-with <http://www.northernireland.gov.uk/news/news-dfp-090409-minister-meets-with> 

Shannon Stop Over Success. Onward to New York.

Sorry for my absence from the blogosphere since St Patrick’s Day. I've had my nose to the grindstone!

Also prior to Easter I was supporting fellow Presidents' Club Trustee Raymond Sexton at his excellent Tangible Flight Plan 2009 Shannon Stop Over in Limerick. Raymond is determined to get this economy going. Enough others are focusing on the negatives. I applaud Raymond's efforts to do something positive.  

Raymond pours so much energy and experience in to developing a strong island economy and genuinely cares for Northern ireland. Whilst he is a resident of Howth-Sutton (and his son Thomas plays rugby for Leinster as well as Ireland), we all know Raymond is a Munsterman and a proud son of Limerick first and foremost. Thus I had no hesitation in driving down to participate. I have to say I have heard so many bad-news stories about Limerick recently and they have had more than their fair share of troubles, but I was really impressed by the city.

Having now spoken to influential audiences in Dublin and Limerick, I am joining Raymond and the wonderful Irish-American elder-statesman and legal-eagle John J Reilly for the next (and maybe final?) leg at 8.30am on Thursday the 7th May 2009 in the Olympic Suite of the New York Athletic Club on Central Park South, New York. 

The Tangible Ireland ‘pre-flight’ blurb says, Indicators are that the US economy will be the first to demonstrate real growth and we not only want to be part of it but also want to encourage our American cousins/friends/entrepreneurs to rebuild their economic future. The 'rising tide will raise all the boats' but it is important that we  have our boats in the water to avail of the lift when it inevitably arrives. Building connections and forging relationships is the key to going forward be it in the technology, engineering, property, education, tourism, infrastructure , financial sectors etc..

If you are planning to be in NYC for business or to support the New York Ireland Fund Dinner http://www.irlfunds.org on the Evening of the 7th May 2009 why not take in the Tangible event!?

As an added bonus, we are having a Presidents’ Club luncheon for those who are interested. Give me a call or email me mark.finlay@the-presidents-club.com