Pittsburgh welcomed home native son Robert J. McCann, Chairman of UBS Americas, as The American Ireland Fund Pittsburgh Chapter honored him with its AIF Chairman’s Award. The award recognizes Mr. McCann’s exceptional leadership in education, community and charitable activities. This year’s gala also marks the 40th Anniversary of The American Ireland Fund.
Gala Co-Chairs Gateway Financial President & CEO David Malone and Sy Holzer, president of PNC Bank Pittsburgh, assisted by Honorary Co-Chairs PNC Financial Services Group CEO James Rohr, Pittsburgh Steelers President Arthur J. Rooney, II and former United States Ambassador to Ireland, Daniel M. Rooney.
More than a few of the crowd of 700 were family and friends of Mr. McCann, who grew up in Pittsburgh and attended nearby Bethany College, where he serves on the college’s board of trustees. Guests enjoyed performances by the Burke Conroy School Irish Dancers, and the band Red Hand Paddy during cocktails and dancing to the band Wild Geese after dinner.
Also attending the event was Kieran McLoughlin, President and CEO of The Worldwide Ireland Funds and Gala Committee Members Charles Bogosta, UPMC Cancer Centers; Mike Denove, Ernst & Young; Mic Lundon, UBS; Tom Miller, Regency Transportation; David Morehouse, Pittsburgh Penguins; Michael Mullen, Kraft Heinz; Patricia Rooney; Rob Sechan, UBS; Brian Tarqunio, UBS.
This year marks the 40thth anniversary of The Ireland Funds, founded in Pittsburgh in 1976 by Sir Anthony J.F. O’Reilly, former Chairman of the H.J. Heinz Co. and Daniel M. Rooney. The American Ireland Fund as it is known today is the result of a merger in 1987 between The Ireland Fund and the American Irish Foundation, which was founded in 1963 by President John. F. Kennedy and Eamon de Valera, then President of Ireland. Previous Chairman’s Award recipients include: Jared L. Cohon, Mark A. Nordenberg, David McCullough, David Malone, Leo W. Gerard, J. Brett Harvey & CONSOL Energy, David S. Shapira & Giant Eagle, UPMC, Sidney Crosby, Archbishop Donald Wuerl, U.S. Congressman John P. Murtha, David M. Roderick, James E. Rohr, Henry & Elsie Hillman & the Hillman family, Jeffrey A. Romoff, Martin G. McGuinn, The John F. & Rhodora J. Donahue Family, William R. Johnson, Bill Cowher, Frank V. Cahouet, Joseph J. Bogdanovich, Robert & Lois Wholey, Sir Anthony J.F. O’Reilly, Daniel M. Rooney & the Rooney Family, Dr. George J. Magovern Sr., Paul Lego, Thomas H. O’Brien, and John E. Connelly.
17th March, 2016
