Prestigious Alumni Awards for Mayo natives

TWO Mayo natives have been announced as recipients of the University of Galway's 2022 Alumni Awards.

They are businessmen Ger Rabbette, a native of Castlebar, and Kilmaine native Mark Butler.

The Alumni Awards recognise individual excellence and achievements among the university’s 120,000 graduates worldwide. Awardees are leaders who have demonstrated impact and excellence in their fields on a local, national and international level.

Eight winners will be presented with their awards at the Alumni Awards gala banquet on October 21.

Ger Rabbette is CEO of Uniphar PLC, a diversified healthcare services organisation that acts as a trusted partner for pharma and medtech manufacturers across the world, with the primary aim of improving patient access to medicines.

Ger joined Uniphar in 2010, having graduated from University of Galway with a BComm in 1984.

Having been selected as the Irish Times Businessperson of the Month in September 2021, and Uniphar recently winning Irish Times Company of the Year, Ger has nurtured and cultivated an incredible team around him, with Uniphar successfully over-delivering on its predicted financial targets in 2021.

The company continues to grow and expand through Ireland and further afield, now employing a workforce of over 3,000 people.

Throughout the pandemic, Ger spearheaded the transportation of PPE across Ireland and internationally, in conjunction with the Operational team.

The company also raised €350,000 for various cancer charities in 2021, with Ger leading the West End Tour, a Dublin to Mayo cross country cycle in aid of the Mayo Roscommon Hospice.

Uniphar also launched a Unity for Ukraine campaign, sending a truck of medicines directly to Ukraine, as well as sending two disinfection robots (worth €70,000) which can be used to quickly create a sterile environment outside operating room conditions.

Mark Butler is an accomplished executive leader with over 30 years’ experience in the Irish and international Medtech sector. He has an exceptional record of accomplishment, continually driving Operational Excellence, Delivery, Innovation and Growth, through the development of winning leadership teams and steering bold and targeted strategy. Mark is Executive VP - European Operations, R&D and Strategy for Merit Medical Systems Inc., a US-based global medical device company.

Working out of Merit’s European headquarters in Galway, he has responsibility for Merit’s pan-European operations, including device manufacturing and distribution facilities in the Netherlands and France, and a Pharma operation in the UK. This enterprise consists of 1,300 people and contributes 30% to Merit’s global revenue of circa One Billion USD.

Merit Medical Galway is a recognised centre of excellence for Operations, R&D, Business Development and Shared Service support and was the recipient of the prestigious Irish Medtech Company of the Year award in 2018. Mark has operated in the lead role at Merit Ireland for the past 20 years, and previously spent 10 years with CR Bard/AVE/Medtronic in various management roles.

He is the present chairperson of the west region for The American Chamber of Commerce and is a board member at both The American Chamber-Ireland and The External Strategic Advisory at University of Galway.

The full list of Alumni Awards winners for 2022 is:

Tom Kenny, BSc 1966, Director of Kenny’s Bookshop and Art Gallery, Galway - Alumni Award for Arts, Literature & Celtic Studies, sponsored by Deloitte.

Aifric Keogh, BSc 2014, Irish rowing’s first women’s Olympic Medal - Alumni Award for Contribution to Sport.

Dr. Marie Healy, MB BCh BAO 1982, Director of Critical Care and Divisional Director of the Surgical Directorate, Royal London Hospital - Alumni Award for Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences, sponsored by Medtronic.

Mary-Ellen McGroarty, BA 1987, LLB 1993, LLM 2019 and Representative Country Director for the World Food Program, Afghanistan - Alumni Award for Law, Public Policy, and Society, sponsored by RDJ.

Mark Butler, BSc 1987, Executive VP - European Operations, R&D and Strategy, Merit Medical Systems Inc - Alumni Award for Engineering, Science and Technology.

Ger Rabbette, BComm 1984, CEO of Uniphar PLC - Alumni Award for Business and Commerce, sponsored by Bank of Ireland.

Ré Ó Laighléis, BA 1978, Writer, Director of An Scríobhlann - Gradam Alumni don Gaeilge, sponsored by Bank of Ireland.

Catherine Ludden, PhD 2014, Director of Operations for the Covid-19 Genomics UK Consortium - Alumni Award for Emerging Leaders (new for 2022).

Speaking on the announcement, president of University of Galway, Professor Ciarán Ó hÓgartaigh, said: “At University of Galway we place a huge importance on being here for the public good and of living our values of respect, excellence, openness and sustainability. Along with that, we are a community and when we come to host great events like the university’s Alumni Awards, recognising people in our community speaks to those ideals.

“All of those receiving awards in 2022 embody in diverse ways what we stand for as a university and are being recognised for their leadership and for the difference they are making in the and for the world.”