Why Philly skyline turns police blue Wednesday night; and how Israel and Ireland diplomats rally local business folks for the old world
Philly.com
Joseph N. DiStefano
The Irish American Business Chamber & Network on March 1 summoned 500 to pack the Union League’s Lincoln Room for its yearly lunch, awards, and an address by Ireland’s Ambassador to the U.S., Daniel Mulhall.
“Mulhall urged closer trade ties and cited Ireland’s improved position as an English-speaking business center for Europe, even as neighboring Britain wrestles with leaving the European Union. And he pledged to get Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar to follow his predecessors to Philly for a future group event.
Irish American business people, including Wayne-based Teleflex CEO Liam Kelly, awarded the group’s Taioseach (Big Chief) award to builder Daniel J. Keating III (now of Gilbane Building Co.) and Sarah P. Keating Esq. of Keating Environmental Management. The group’s Uachtaran (President) award went to Col. Tom Manion USMC and his daughter Ryan Manion for the Travis Manion Foundation, the Doylestown-based veterans support group named for Ryan’s late brother, First Lt. Capt. Travis Manion USMC , who was killed in Iraq leading a counterattack in 2006.
Business groups focused on Canada, China, France, Italy, India, the U.K., and other large nations that are significant trading partners for local companies also meet regularly in Philadelphia, but I’m not aware of any that have built bigger networks or gather more people at single event than the Irish and the Israelis.”
