4th November, 2015

Chicago Dinner 2015

The American Ireland Fund Chicago Dinner Gala

The American Ireland Fund hosted its 31st Annual Chicago Dinner on Wednesday evening, November 4, at the Hilton Chicago.

Over 500 guests gathered to honor Robert A. Sullivan, President and CEO, Fifth Third Bank Chicago with The American Ireland Fund 2015 Leadership Award and Thomas J. Cashman, Member, Chicago Board of Trade with The American Ireland Fund 2015 Founders’ Award.

The 2015 American Ireland Fund  Chicago Dinner was chaired by Michael O’Halleran, Executive Chairman of AON Benfield.. The event celebrated Irish culture and heritage and generated much-needed funds for The Worldwide Ireland Funds’ Promising Ireland Campaign which has assisted over 800 Irish charities to-date.

Midwest Regional Director, Roseann Finnegan LeFevour, welcomed the guests. Both the Chairman of The American Ireland Fund, John Fitzpatrick, and the CEO and President of The Worldwide Ireland Funds, Kieran McLoughlin, spoke about the need in Ireland and the impact the proceeds of the dinner will have on nonprofit organizations across the island of Ireland and around the world.

Tom Meagher, the Chair of The American Ireland Fund Regional Advisory Board, presented the award to Bob Sullivan.  Bob spoke about his Irish heritage, his family and the need to give back.

Michael O’Halleran, the Chair of the Dinner, presented the award to Tom Cashman, who as an original founder of The American Fund in Chicago, gave an interesting history of the Fund in Chicago.

This was a wonderful Irish celebration of family and friends made possible by the extraordinary work of the Dinner Chair, Co-Chairs, Committee and all those who attended.