Orla makes history in the hall of fame

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Orla Corr, Managing Director of the McAvoy Group, became the thirteenth inductee to the Invest NI Hall of Fame at Invest NI¿s Celebration of Enterprise last night. Pictured with her are Stephen Kingon, Chairman of Invest NI, and Kevin Kingston, Ulster Bank¿s Director of Corporate Banking handing over her award. The event, held as part of Enterprise Week, recognised the contribution of innovative individuals and businesses to NI.

Thursday, November 15, 2007

By Nigel Tilson

The managing director of a Tyrone company has become the first woman to enter Invest Northern Ireland's Hall of Fame.

Orla Corr, who heads up the Dungannon-based McAvoy Group, which manufactures modular buildings, became the 13th Ulster entrepreneur to join the fame gang at a Celebration of Enterprise gala organised as part of National Enterprise Week.

Mrs Corr, like the previous inductees, was recognised for her entrepreneurial flair and commitment to growing the company.

McAvoy Group, formed in 1973, has expanded strongly with Mrs Corr at the helm. It designs, manufactures and installs complex modular buildings.

The Tyrone company now has a turnover of £30m and employs around 250 people at manufacturing plants in Dungannon and Lisburn and at depots in Dublin, Cork and Sligo.

At the Celebration of Enterprise event held at the Transport Museum, Cultra, a special award was also made posthumously to Frank Pantridge, a cardiologist at Belfast's Royal Victoria Hospital who invented the first portable defibrillator in 1965, recognising his contribution to innovation.

And five other awards were handed out.

The accolade for best business entrepreneur went to Patrick McGrath of Belfast company Ripfactory, whose flagship product is the Ripstation, a fully automated, high-speed CD ripping and encoding system.

The best new innovation gong was awarded to Belfast-based Willis Heating & Plumbing, which has developed a new solar water heating system, while Belfast's Fusion Antibodies was named as innovator of the year; it's a biotechnology company specialising in the areas of oncology and infectious disease.

Londonderry-based Singularity, which provides business process management software and solutions, picked up the best emerging exporter trophy.

And the exporter of the year title was presented to Tyrone firm Fintec Crushing & Screening, a market leader in the manufacture of mobile crushing and screening equipment for use in quarrying and recycling applications.

Leslie Morrison, Invest NI's chief executive, said: "This event is an opportunity for us to recognise and celebrate the achievements of local entrepreneurs, both those in the early stages of building their business and those who have established successful internationally trading businesses.

"Each of our award winners demonstrates the common entrepreneurial characteristics of being innovative, dynamic, committed and willing to take a calculated risk.

"These champions of enterprise are excellent role models, particularly for our young people who will be the business leaders of the future."

Previous inductees into the Hall of Fame include: Lord Ballyedmond, Norbrook; Martin Naughton, Glen Dimplex; Dr Ivan McCabrey, Mivan; William Wright, Wrightbus; Dr Peter Fitzgerald, Randox Laboratories; Robert Watson, Hilton Food Group.

Also: Dr Billy Hastings, Hastings Hotels Group; Trefor Campbell, Moy Park; Lord Rana, Andras House; Ed Vernon, BT/BIC Systems; Jim Dobson, Dungannon Meats, and Dr Allen McClay, Almac Group.