[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 45 (Wednesday, March 14, 2018)]
[House]
[Pages H1548-H1549]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        REMEMBERING PEARSE LYONS

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from 
Kentucky (Mr. Barr) for 5 minutes.
  Mr. BARR. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the extraordinary life 
and legacy of Dr. Pearse Lyons of Lexington, Kentucky, who passed away 
on Thursday of last week at the age of 73.
  Dr. Lyons was a pioneer, the ultimate dreamer and innovator, a 
larger-than-life contributor to human progress, and his legacy will 
forever be remembered. Dr. Lyons, originally from Ireland, is truly the 
embodiment of the American Dream. He came to the United States in the 
late 1970s and launched his own business in Lexington in 1980, named 
after the initials of his daughter, Aoife. Alltech was founded with an 
initial investment of just $10,000.
  Today, Alltech is a multibillion-dollar international business with 
operations in animal feed, meat, brewing, and distilling with more than 
5,000 employees worldwide. Dr. Lyons was honored as the Business Person 
of the Year by Business and Finance magazine. He received the Ireland-
U.S. Council Award for Outstanding Achievement, and Irish Prime 
Minister Enda Kenny recognized him with a St. Patrick's Day Science 
Medal in recognition of creating a global business based on scientific 
research.
  As impressive if not more so is the impact Dr. Lyons and Alltech have 
had on Kentucky and, in particular, central Kentucky. Dr. Lyons was the 
driving force behind bringing the Alltech 2010 World Equestrian Games 
to Lexington, the first time the games had been held

[[Page H1549]]

outside of Europe. Due to Dr. Lyons' vision and drive, the 2010 
Lexington Games were considered to be the most successful in the 
event's history.
  Dr. Lyons also established ONE: the Alltech Ideas Conference, which 
has been held in Lexington for more than three decades. The conference 
is now the city's largest annual room booking, attracting nearly 4,000 
attendees from over 70 countries to the bluegrass. It is often said 
that through the World Equestrian Games and the Alltech Ideas 
Conference that Dr. Lyons brought the world to Lexington. This is 
undeniably true, but it is also true that he brought Kentucky to the 
world.
  In addition to its animal feed and agricultural products, Alltech 
reopened the Lexington Brewing Company in 1999 and launched Kentucky 
Ale, which can now be purchased across the United States and in many 
countries across the world. Alltech also opened the Town Branch 
Distillery in Lexington, which produces a line of spirits including its 
signature Town Branch Kentucky Bourbon.
  He and his beloved wife, Deirdre, have also given back directly to 
many causes. Dr. and Mrs. Lyons built more than a dozen state-of-the-
art science labs in primary schools in Kentucky and in Ireland. They 
also established the Alltech Young Scientist program, the largest 
global agriscience competition for university students, and the Alltech 
Vocal Scholarship Competition awards for more than half a million 
dollars in scholarships annually to promising young vocalists.
  On a personal note, I will miss Pearse's friendship; his kindness to 
me and my family; and his extraordinary ideas, passion, and vision. I 
will never forget the time that I went to the Nicholasville 
headquarters of Alltech, where Dr. Lyons educated me about how world 
population growth would put immense pressure on food production 
requirements and how Alltech scientists were investigating and 
developing nutritional and agricultural products and techniques to meet 
the future food needs of the human race.
  The problem and challenge he described was daunting, but with that 
infectious smile and with a sparkle in his eye, this innovator told me 
that there was no limit to what we could do and no limit to what 
Alltech could do. Pearse was a dreamer, and he also lived life to the 
fullest. I will always cherish and remember those Alltech ONE 
conferences where he stood in front of 4,000 people from 70 different 
countries in Kentucky with the Kentucky Bourbon and the Kentucky Ale 
and he sang ``Molly Malone'' in honor of his home country.
  My wife, Carol, and I extend our deepest condolences to Deirdre; 
their two children, Aoife and Mark, with whom I grew up; the extended 
Lyons family; Alltech and its many employees; and all those touched by 
Dr. Lyons.
  Pearse Lyons loved his family, both his own family and his Alltech 
family. He loved music. He loved science and innovation. He loved his 
native home of Ireland. He loved America. And he loved Kentucky.
  And for all of his achievements, for his contributions to science and 
human progress, his philanthropy, and the mark he left on Kentucky, I 
hope all of my colleagues will join me in honoring the extraordinary 
life and work of Dr. Pearse Lyons.

                          ____________________