The Mayo News

EMERGING Entrepreneur of the Year was the accolade that Mayo man Dr Seán Rowland was honoured with at last week’s 2008 Ernst &Young Entrepreneur of the Year. Mayo man is ‘Emerging Entrepreneur of the Year’


Áine Ryan

EMERGING Entrepreneur of the Year was the accolade that Mayo man and founder of Hibernia College, Dr Seán Rowland, was honoured with at last week’s 2008 Ernst &Young Entrepreneur of the Year.
The Castlebar native was among the top three prize-winners at the awards, which are part of a global recognition programme identifying, acclaiming and supporting entrepreneurs. Galway businessman, Mr John Flaherty, founder of C&F Group – a product and tool-design company – was named the overall winner, while Grant Engineering, based in Birr, County Offaly was named Industry Entrpreneur of the Year.
Speaking to The Mayo News yesterday, Dr Rowland praised Ernst & Young’s commitment to encouraging excellence in a broad spectrum of enterprise.
“I’m delighted to have won the prize which is a great recognition of the team at Hibernia and its work over the last number of years.”
He also said that Hibernia College’s Westport offices will soon move to larger premises and employment will be increased by 50 per cent.
Founded by Dr Rowland in 2000, Hibernia College is an online college providing postgraduate programmes in pharmaceutical medicine, primary teacher education and financial management.
Since its inception, it has attracted students from over 20 countries, offering ‘accredited, educational programmes designed to address the growing demand for flexible, cost-effective, lifelong learning which is not restricted by location or time’.
Hibernia College has offices in Dublin and in Westport, and employs over 50 full-time staff members and over 300 adjunct faculties worldwide.
After attending St Patrick’s College, Drumcondra, Dr Rowland worked as a teacher for five years before travelling to the US to attend Boston College. There he was awarded a Masters in Educational Administration and later a PhD in Curriculum Instruction and Administration. He  holds a Masters Degree in Public Administration from the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University.
While at Boston College, Dr Rowland established the Centre for Irish Management in an effort ‘to encourage economic development and create employment in Ireland through education, executive development and relationship building’.
Dr Rowland also established the Irish Institute at Boston College, and as Executive Director worked extensively with young Irish professionals, political leaders and educators to promote Irish-US relations, provide up-skilling in a variety of professions.
At the ceremony, Mr Denis O’Brien, the Chairman of the judging panel and a former award winner, commented on the high quality of 2008 finalists, observing they were testament to the successful entrepreneurial community growing in Ireland.
The awards programme is supported by Enterprise Ireland, InterTradeIreland, Invest Northern Ireland, The Irish Times, RTE and Digicel.

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