John Kennedy
Honourable Chancellor, I have pleasure in presenting John Kennedy as an Ambassador Fellow of Liverpool John Moores University.
Seven years ago I had the pleasure of presenting John Kennedy for a Fellowship of Liverpool John Moores University. This celebrated entrepreneur received our highest honour for his outstanding contribution to business in the North-West, for his dedicated public service, and for his tireless work as a bridge-builder between the UK and Ireland.
John Kennedy was born in New York City and brought up in Ireland. In the 1950s he came to England to work in the construction industry and founded his own company in 1961. John Kennedy’s business career has been characterised by bold entrepreneurship, judicious long-term financial planning and sure-footedness in company management. Until his retirement a decade ago, his Company grew progressively in reputation and profitability. In1997, he was named 'Businessman of the Year' by the Allied Irish Bank. His pre-eminence in the construction industry has brought him numerous honours, including a Fellowship of the Institution of Highways and Transportation and a Companionship of the Institution of Gas Engineers.
John Kennedy has demonstrated his enthusiasm for good citizenship in many ways.
As a Deputy Lieutenant of the County of Greater Manchester since 1997, he has served as a member of the Lord Lieutenant's Advisory Committee and was for several years Chairman of the Trafford Advisory Committee to the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster. His commitment to the economic regeneration of the North West has been demonstrated by his participation in a number of international trade missions and his active membership of numerous business development groups, including the North West Business Leadership Team.
John has also made a significant contribution to Anglo-Irish relations, by for example, supporting the peace process in Northern Ireland and improving understanding between the peoples of Ireland and Britain. He has helped to ensure the continued development of pioneering programmes such as the Liverpool-based 'lreland in Schools" which seeks to make the study of Ireland a normal part of the curriculum in Britain.
John has been for many years involved in a wide range of charitable activities and in particular those with a focus on the health and well-being of young children. He has been an active Committee Member for the North West Division of the NSPCC; Chairman of the Mencap 'Blue Sky Appeal' , Trustee and Director of The Adventure Farm Trust, and a Member of the Committee of The Rainbow Family Trust which established the first Hospice in the North West dedicated to terminally ill children. And he has also been a committed supporter of Jubilee Action, a charity which works with street children in many parts of the world.
He has received a number of honours for this outstanding charitable work.
- He was made a Knight of the ancient Constantinian Order of St.George
- He was appointed a Knight of St.Gregory by Pope John Paul II and recently,
- A Knight Commander of St Gregory by Pope Benedict.
- He was also awarded the CBE by Her Majesty the Queen.
John has also demonstrated sustained support for further and higher education in the North West. He has had associations with the University of Manchester, Manchester Metropolitan University, and North Trafford College. In recent years, we have been grateful for his passionate advocacy of Liverpool John Moores University, notably through his support for The Foundation for Citizenship and for the highly successful Roscoe Lecture Series. John has also been an invaluable member of our Board of Governors, completing a six-year term of office earlier this year.
Although a Fellowship of LJMU is awarded to outstanding individuals with no formal duties or obligations associated with its acceptance, we are glad to say that many Fellows do continue to support us in a variety of ways. In cases where we have benefited over many years from the sustained and exceptional commitment of a Fellow, we will seek to acknowledge this commitment and consolidate the relationship by bestowing the title of Ambassador Fellow. John Kennedy, entrepreneur, dedicated public servant, philanthropist, bridge-builder between nations, and enthusiastic friend and supporter of Liverpool John Moores University, is a most worthy recipient of this title.
Thus I have great pleasure in presenting John Kennedy, this most distinguished adopted son of our region, as an Ambassador Fellow of Liverpool John Moores University.
Professor Frank Sanderson
Public Orator
Thursday 23 July 2009