John worked in the USA for 18 years prior to joining UL in 1998. During his stay in the US he worked in mortgage banking, industrial gas distribution and prior to returning to Ireland, was the CFO of New Jersey's largest commercial printer. In this latter role, his skills in commercial lending and credit control were combined with an interest in process reengineering that facilitated growth by acquisition. Throughout his career to date, John has placed an emphasis on dynamic accounting systems and has led in the installation of a number of UNIX-based accounting systems while in the US.

 
Upon returning to Ireland, John was the CEO of the Eurexcter Project at UL, a three-year EU initiative that pursued socio-economic inclusion and cohesion at the local level. He is a founding member of the Paris-based European Foundation for Territorial Excellence, an entity established to further economic and social sustainability at the regional level in the EU. Reflecting a belief in the role of the university to engage positively with its local and regional community he developed the Business Transformation Programme to enable SMEs to grow and prosper. This has been the genesis for his academic interest in the governance role of financial accounting information in Irish small firms. John worked at Allied Irish Banks in their Systems Department for 6 years prior to moving to the USA.

 
Lectures annually at the Institute of Directors in Ireland on corporate governance.

 
PhD thesis in progress: The Corporate governance role of financial accounting information in Irish small firms.
 

Author of Financial Accounting - a Corporate Governance Perspective published by Gill and MacMillan in 2006. He also co-authored two textbooks with colleagues, Accounting and Finance (UL 2004) with Dr. Fergal G. O'Brien and Accounting for Project Management (UL 2000) with Dr. Philip O'Regan.

 
Educational ACCESS: Leads an initiative at UL that encourages Travellers in the Limerick area to participate in the educational system.

 
Education: BSc Bus Admin and MBA from Seton Hall University, New Jersey USA. Presently pursuing a PhD at the University of Limerick.