Feargal Quinn

Feargal Quinn ( _ga. Fearghal Ó Cuinn) (born 27 November 1936) is an Irish politician, businessman and an independent member of the 23rd Seanad Éireann (Senate)- the upper house of the Oireachtas. Quinn was first elected as a senator in 1993 from the National University of Ireland university panel, and was re-elected in 1997, 2002 and 2007. He was educated in Newbridge College, and is a commerce graduate of University College, Dublin. He is a member of the Joint Oireachtas Committee on European Affairs, and is an Oireachtas member of the National Economic and Social Forum.

Quinn, born in Dublin in 1936, has had a career in both business and public service. He is the founder of Superquinn supermarket chain, of which he remains non-executive president after his family sold out their interest in August 2005. He became the chairman of the "Interim Board for Posts" ("An Bord Poist" in Irish) in 1979 and served as chairman of its successor An Post (The Post Office) until 1989 - he also served on several other public authorities and boards. From 1993 to 1998, he chaired the steering committee which oversaw the development of the Leaving Certificate Applied version. He currently chairs the IBEC-sponsored business committee on better regulation, Sensible Rules. In 2006 he was appointed an Adjunct Professor in Marketing at National University of Ireland, Galway.

He is President of EuroCommerce the Brussel-based organisation which represents the retail, wholesale and international trade sectors in Europe. Its membership includes over 100 commerce federations in 27 European countries, European and national associations representing specific branches of commerce and many companies. Also he serves on the board of directors of CIES – the Food Business Forum based in Paris as well as the American-based Food Marketing Institute.

He is the author of "Crowning the Customer" (O'Brien Press, 1990), which has been translated into many languages. He is the recipient of three honorary doctorates from Irish education institutions (NCEA, National University of Ireland and the University of Dublin) and of a papal knighthood. He shared with Oprah Winfrey the 2006 "Listener of the Year" award of the International Listening Association.

Feargal Quinn is married to Denise Quinn, daughter of Ned and Grace Prendergast. They have five adult children. He is a first cousin of Ruairi Quinn TD and of Lochlann Quinn, former chairman of Allied Irish Banks (AIB).

ee also

*Families in the Oireachtas

External links

* [http://www.feargalquinn.ie Official site]
* [http://oireachtas.ie/members-hist/default.asp?housetype=1&HouseNum=23&MemberID=1972&ConstID=203 Oireachtas Members Profile]

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