August 27, 2018

Alltech's founder to receive Muhammad Ali Humanitarian Award
 

Dr. Pearse Lyons, founder of Alltech, will posthumously receive the prestigious Muhammad Ali Humanitarian Award for Lifetime Achievement during the award ceremony's sixth edition, held on September 20 at the Omni Louisville Hotel in Louisville, Kentucky.

The Muhammad Ali Humanitarian Awards was established in 2013 to publicly celebrate the greatness of people from around the world. The award recognises individuals who are driven to become agents of change for the common good.

Likewise, for Dr. Lyons, making a positive difference in the world was an everyday reality of his personal and professional life.

After moving the US from Ireland with his young family, Dr. Lyons founded Alltech in 1980 with the mission of improving the health and performance of animals, crops and people. The company's endeavours are guided by the ACE principle - a commitment to having a positive impact on the Animal, Consumer and Environment.

The Alltech ACE Foundation, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organisation, was established by Dr. and Mrs. Lyons to put their philanthropic passion into action. One endeavour funded by the ACE Foundation is the Alltech Sustainable Haiti Project, which supports two Haitian primary schools through the sale of Alltech Café Citadelle.

In Kentucky and Ireland, more than a dozen state-of-the-art science laboratories have been built at primary schools, inspiring students to have a greater curiosity about the world around them.

As an entrepreneur who started Alltech in his home garage and built it into a multibillion-dollar company, Dr. Lyons recognised drive and passion in others and encouraged them to dream big. The Alltech Innovation Competition emboldens young entrepreneurs to create businesses that help solve local issues. Winners are awarded US$10,000 - the same amount with which Dr. Lyons founded Alltech in his garage.

Whether through small acts of kindness or far-reaching scientific achievement, Dr. Lyons was committed to empowering others, inspiring lifelong learning and making a difference in the world - a mission he shared with the Muhammad Ali Foundation, of which Dr. Lyons was a long-time supporter.

Dr. Lyons passed away on March 8, 2018. Mrs. Lyons, director of corporate image and design at Alltech, and their son, Dr. Mark Lyons, president and CEO of Alltech, will accept the award on his behalf during the ceremony.

"Like Muhammad, by their example, these awardees serve as role models to all of us, and they help to ensure that the legacy Muhammad left on this world continues to inspire, transform and ignite positive change for the betterment of individuals and the whole of humanity," said Lonnie Ali, co-founder of the Muhammad Ali Centre and widow of Muhammad Ali.

She concluded, "If there was a time for the power of his example to be heeded, it is now."