TK Whitaker management award for Kennelly

KERRY businessman Jerry Kennelly has been awarded the TK Whitaker Award by the Irish Academy of Management.

The IAM said it wished to recognise Kennelly for what they described as his “significant contributions to business and the wider community of current and future entrepreneurs in Ireland and beyond”.

Mr Kennelly launched his first business, Newsfax, a wirephoto service in 1981.

In 1996 he launched Stockbyte which was sold to Getty Images for $135 million in 2006.

His next venture, Tweak is an online platform, offering logo and ad design, photography and copy writing services to small businesses.

In conjunction with Institute of Technology Tralee and Shannon Development Mr Kennelly was a co-founder of the Endeavour programme in 2009.

The not-for-profit tech sector business accelerator scheme involved 20 companies which now have a value of in excess of €100m.

He also founded the Young Entrepreneur Programme in which 5,000 secondary and third level students took part. Since 2010 that programme has been focussed on primary schools and over 40,000 children have participated in it.

“Jerry Kennelly’s contribution to Irish life is not confined to the realm of business. We are delighted to award Jerry Kennelly our highest honour, the TK Whitaker Award,” said IAM Chair Prof Margaret Linehan.

The IAM describes itself as the “pre-eminent body for academics researching management and business in Ireland.”

Previous recipients of the TK Whitaker Award include Denis Brosnan, Margaret Downes and Dr Martin Naughton.

Photo by Oliver McVeigh/Sportsfile. Jerry Kennellywith his award.