2011 press releases
Posted 20 November 2011
AIT Graduate Named Among Top 100 Irish American Leaders
Athlone Institute of Technology (AIT) business graduate, Brendan P. Farrell Jr, has been named among a prestigious group of the top 100 Irish American leaders.
Mr Farrell who is the CEO of XSP, the global financial services software firm, will be one of those honoured at the Irish America magazine’s 26th Annual Business 100 Awards on Thursday, 15 December in Manhattan.
Earlier this year, the Longford man was selected as an Ernst & Young entrepreneur of the year finalist in the international category.
AIT President, Prof. Ciarán Ó Catháin, congratulated Mr Farrell on this latest honour. “At a time when there is so little positive news about Irish successes, Brendan Farrell is an example of an Irishman who has thrived in the global business market. Brendan’s success highlights what is possible with determination and innovation. We are delighted to count him amongst the active members of our alumni community.”
Patricia Harty, co-founder/Editor-in-Chief of Irish America magazine, commented, “Like many of his fellow honourees, Brendan represents a new breed of Irish immigrants whose background, innovation and global experience make him an invaluable asset to corporate America. We are proud to honour him as one of the Business 100.”
“I am very flattered to be awarded with this great honour of being recognised as one of the top 100 Irish American business people,” said Mr Farrell. “I am truly humbled to be included as a member of this most esteemed group of leaders.”
Brendan Farrell, a founder of XSP, has over 27 years of experience in financial services including six years at Financial Information, Inc. as Vice-President of Sales and Marketing and before that, seven years at The Bank of New York where he held various officer-level management positions in the securities operations division after his return to New York.
While always maintaining his strong roots to his family and community in Ireland, he is also very connected to the Irish American community in North America and serves on various Irish American committees including most recently the 2010 Dinner Committee of the American Irish Historical Society; the 2011 American Ireland Fund New York Dinner Gala – Chairman’s Committee; and as Co-Chair of the Ninth Annual UCD Michael Smurfit Graduate Business School Dinner Committee in 2011.
Brendan Farrell attended St Mel’s College and Templemichael College in Longford and is a business graduate (1984) from Athlone Institute of Technology. He was appointed as a director to the Board of the Friends of Athlone Institute of Technology foundation in 2011.
He currently resides in Denville, New Jersey with his wife of 20 years, Christine and his two teenage children – 18-year-old son Dylan is a computer engineering undergraduate at Drexel University in Philadelphia and 16-year-old daughter Brianna is a junior at Morris Knolls High School in Rockaway, New Jersey.
