Pearse Lyons

Thomas Pearse Lyons^[1] (Irish: Piaras Ó Laighin) (born 3 August 1944) is an Irish businessman and the founder and President of Kentucky-based Alltech Inc., an American global animal health and nutrition company that is centred on innovation, research and development.^[2] Lyons is considered an "entrepreneur, salesman, marketer and scientist all rolled into one", and is widely regarded in the agribusiness sector as an innovator and industry leader.^[2]

Early life and Education

Lyons was born and raised in Dundalk, Co. Louth.^[3] He graduated from University College Dublin (UCD) with a first class honours degree in biochemistry.^[2] He worked in Harp Lager in Dundalk while at college. Lyons also graduated with a Master of Science in Brewing Science from the British School of Malting and Brewing (now the School of Biochemistry^[4]), University of Birmingham in 1968.^[5] In 1971 Lyons received a PhD Biochemistry, also from the University of Birmingham.^[5] He later started an MBA at UCD, but didn't complete it.^[6] He moved to Irish Distillers, which he described as his 'dream job'.^[6]

Lyons received an Honorary Doctorate from Heriot-Watt University in 2004 ^[7]

Alltech

His work led to him to Kentucky in 1976, and, in 1980, Lyons set up Alltech in his garage.^[3] With an initial investment of $10,000 and enough money set aside to pay the mortgage and buy groceries for the family for a year (by this stage he was married with two children), Lyons used his fermentation expertise to continue helping brewers.^[3]"We started in October and we were in profit by Christmas," he says. "We had to be in profit by Christmas.^[6]" Not only was Lyons in profit by Christmas, but he did a million dollars' worth of business in his first year.^[6] Lyons then turned his attention to animal feed in the belief that yeasts, enzymes and certain bacteria could help animals use feed more efficiently – a concept which was not new but lacked scientific data and research.^[8] "And that first million became two ... We have never, ever had a month where Alltech has not made a profit, a good profit," he said. "We've been growing at 20 percent for the best part of 30 years.^[3] " By 1985, the animal nutrition side of the business had superseded the alcohol side in importance "even though there are similarities between the products on both sides," according to Lyons.^[3] Today, the company is a global animal health company, employing more than 3,000 people with a presence in 128 countries and offices in 85 countries, including North America, Latin America, Europe, the Middle East and Asia-Pacific.^[9] Lyons has built Alltech into the fastest growing company in the global animal health industry through innovative technology, creative marketing, and strong branding.^[10] It is growing rapidly in the Chinese market.^[11] Alltech was the title sponsor of the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games held in Lexington, KY.^[12] It was both the company and the event’s first title sponsorship.The company invested more than $32 million plus event staffing into the 2010 edition of the Games.^[13] Alltech is committed to the next edition in France, the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games™ 2014 in Normandy.^[14] 2011 saw Alltech open one of the largest commercial algae production sites in the world.The $200 million Alltech Algae facility is located in Winchester, Ky. and the company is pursuing algae’s applications in animal and human nutrition.^[15] In 2012, Alltech was named to a top-10 Best Companies Supporting the Arts in America by the Americans for the Arts. The company received the award for its support of the local arts, its statewide music festival – the Alltech Fortnight Festival – in conjunction with the Games, its annual Alltech Vocal Scholarship Competition and its incorporation of the arts into its Sustainable Haiti Project.^[16] Alltech sales will reach $1 billion in 2013 with 30 percent coming from acquisitions.^[17] Alltech will achieve annual revenue of $1bn in China by 2015 and make a contribution to the nation's production of pork, according to Lyons.^[18]

Personal life

Lyons's day starts at 3.50am, giving him a five-hour head start on the company’s global headquarters in Kentucky, where he is based. One of the first things he does is put in a call to the company's European headquarters in Dunboyne, Co Meath.^[6] Lyons runs every morning, regardless of where he is working.^[6] Dr. Lyons also established Alltech’s Lexington Brewing and Distilling Company, which includes a line of beers – Kentucky Ale®,Kentucky Light®, Kentucky Bourbon Barrel Ale® and Kentucky Bourbon Barrel Stout – and spirits including Town Branch®Bourbon, Pearse Lyons Reserve® malt whiskey and Bluegrass Sundown®, a bourbon-infused coffee drink. In 2012, Alltech partnered with Ireland’s Carlow Brewing Company to begin distilling its first genuine Irish whiskey.^[19]

In May 2009, Alltech and the Muhammad Ali Center announced the creation of a joint charitable fund, the Alltech-Muhammad Ali Center Global Education and Charitable Fund.^[20] Lyons’ wealth is estimated to be in the region of €1.5bn ^[21] and according to the Sunday Times Rich List^[22] he was the sixth richest Irish person in 2012.

Lyons has "authored" more than 20 books and "many" research papers for scientific journals.^[23]

Lyons was named Business Person of the Year in 2012 by Business and Finance in Ireland.^[24] Also in 2012, Lyons received the Ireland-US Council’s Award for Outstanding Achievement for strengthening economic ties between the United States and Ireland.^[25]

He is married to Deirdre and they have two children, Mark and Aoife. Mark is Vice-President Corporate Affairs at Alltech.

References

Further information

• Alltech
• Pearse Lyons – Alltech Symposium 2010 on YouTube