IABS Awards of Honor.

The former President of Ireland was joined by JPMorgan Chase's Senior Vice President Edward O'Shea, and leading construction entrepreneur Maurice Regan, President of J.T. Magen & Company, at the podium for the Irish American Building Society's (IABS) 7th Annual Awards for Honor, held at the Grand Hyatt on June 23.

"This year we honor three individuals who have cleared many hurdles to rise to the very highest level of achievement in their fields," said Bill McKenna, event co-chair.

"Mary Robinson, former President of Ireland, who has compiled a lifetime of firsts, including being the first woman elected to that position; Edward O'Shea, who climbed the corporate ladder to the highest rungs in his professional as global head of real estate at JPMorgan Chase, and Maurice Regan, who left Ireland to found his own construction company here in New York, and within a decade, has made it one of the larger companies in its field, in one of the most competitive markets in the world," continued McKenna. "And in keeping with a new tradition launched last year, the IABS will also honor a group for its community leadership. This year's honoree is Concern Worldwide."

The Father Mychal Judge Humanitarian of the Year award went to Robinson, former President of Ireland and UN High Commissioner

Mary Robinson made headlines around the world when Ireland elected her as its first female president in 1990, but she had begun her pioneering career 30 years earlier when she was the first woman to receive a Papal dispensation to attend Ireland's prestigious Trinity College, which was all-Protestant at the time. Later, she became its first female and youngest constitutional law professor. But it is her "emphasis on human rights throughout a lifetime of high office that has made her the ideal candidate to carry the name of Father Mychal this year," said Patrick McGowan, event co:chair. For five years as UN High Commissioner, ending a term that ended in 2002, she implemented Secretary-General Kofi Annan's directive to integrate human rights into all activities of the UN. Traveling to China as the first High Commissioner, she succeeded in obtaining an agreement to improve human rights in that country. She sent field workers to Indonesia, Africa and Eastern Europe, and staff now monitors human rights in more than 20 countries.

While leading Ireland from 1990 to 1997, she broadened her country's economic, political and cultural links with other cultures and countries. Drawing on the history of the Great Famine to build a bond between developed and developing countries, she created new partnerships to address policy and issues. She was the first head of state to visit Rwanda after the genocide of 1994, and was given the CARE Humanitarian Award for helping to alleviate suffering in Somalia. Today she extends that concern throughout the world as head of the Ethical Globalization Initiative. Holder of more than two dozen humanitarian awards and more than 30 honorary degrees, Mary Robinson is one of the world's great peacemakers.

The Real Estate Award of Honor was presented to Edward O'Shea, Sr. Vice President/Director of Global Facilities, JPMorgan Chase Bank

O'Shea's professional life has been one of devotion and loyalty--for more than three decades he has worked for only two firms. Each, a giant in its field, has drawn upon his in-depth knowledge as a facilities executive to keep billions of dollars of prime real estate operating at peak proficiency. Currently, he is responsible for more than 40 million square feet of JPMorgan Chase space, ranging from its Park Avenue headquarters to retail banks and overseas operations.

Previously, he had been affiliated with Chase Bank and when it merged with JPMorgan, was a key figure in consolidating the substantial holdings of both companies. Before joining Chase, he served with American Airlines Properties and Facilities Department for more than 22 years.

O'Shea has always given back to the profession that provided his livelihood, serving on the Board of BOMA/NY, BOMA International's National Advisory Council and the Management Board of the Real Estate Board of New York.

Maurice Regan, President and Founder, JT Magen & Company, was presented with the Award of Honor--Construction

In little more than a decade, Regan's JT Magen & Company has grown from a concept centered on quality personal service to a firm booking an annual sales volume of $300 million.

Regan created the firm in 1992 after relocating from Ireland, armed with a B. Sc. Degree in Surveying (with Honors) from the University of Limerick, a diploma in Construction Economics and a membership in the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors. He immediately launched JT Magen as a firm where he would personally head the management team and work with the clients, and instill the credo of personal accountability within his employees.