Soaraway Saunders takes Manhattan...
Members of the Saunders family were singing with delight last week. And not just in Manhattan, where PR deity John Saunders was the toast of the town.
But I’ll get to the singing later...
When he delivered the keynote speech at the Irish America Business 100 lunch — and received a standing ovation from all those present at the Metropolitan Club — it marked what has been an incredible year for John, appointed PR giant FleishmanHillard’s president and CEO in 2015.
So being nominated for the top spot at the 31st Annual Irish America Business lunch may have been the icing on a cake that was possibly in skyscraping proportions for soaraway Saunders.
The golden boy was joined by his wife Jean and his daughter Caroline and many long-standing US-based friends — including manufacturer Hanover’s Charlie McCabe, Special Olympics CEO Mary Davis, legendary NBC sports presenter and voice of Notre Dame Don Criqui and leading HSS orthopaedic surgeon Steve O’Brien, who is also vicepresident of the prestigious Metropolitan Club.
A large contingent from Dublin also attended, including FH colleagues Mark Mortell and the one and only Rhona Blake.
Beautiful blonde birdon-the-wing Rhona, FleishmanHillard’s chairman John D Graham, who marks 50 years with the firm this year, and his wife Linda and others flew back to Dublin afterwards to attend a special event at the National Concert Hall.
The special occasion was that John’s wife Jean, a member of the choir from Our Lady’s Choral Society, was singing in Handel’s Messiah at the NCH. Some might say Jean is married to the messiah of global PR.