Alltech co-founder Deirdre Lyons named Business Person of the Year by Southeast Kentucky Chamber of Commerce

[PIKEVILLE, Ky.] – The Southeast Kentucky Chamber of Commerce (SEKC) bestowed its 2018 Business Person of the Year award on Mrs. Deirdre Lyons, co-founder of Alltech, during its annual awards night, held Aug. 9 at the East Kentucky Expo Center. The award is given to an individual who has demonstrated support for the advancement and development of business in Eastern Kentucky.

Mrs. Lyons and the late Dr. Pearse Lyons initiated the development of Dueling Barrels Brewery & Distillery in Pikeville with an eye toward promoting tourism to the region and creating jobs for its residents. Mrs. Lyons, director of corporate image and design at Alltech, applied her impeccable attention to detail to the facility, overseeing its design and construction, and worked tirelessly to ensure that Dueling Barrels provides an unforgettable visitor experience.

Surrounded by community and state leaders, Mrs. Lyons cut the ribbon on Eastern Kentucky’s first combined beer, bourbon and moonshine operation on June 27, 2018. The nearly 30,000-square-foot facility currently employs 13 full-time staff members, all of whom hail from the region, including “storytellers” who share Appalachia’s history and culture with visitors.

Dueling Barrels is expected to join the Kentucky Bourbon Trail^® experience in January 2019, extending the famed trail 142 miles east into Pikeville. The additional tourism could help boost the economy in Pikeville, which has undergone a revitalization in recent years, particularly in the downtown area.  

“SEKC is proud to have Mrs. Lyons as an advocate for the region,” said the SEKC in a statement. “The effects of her dedication to advancement and progress resonate throughout the state.”

Mrs. Lyons will discuss boosting economic growth, tourism and international publicity in Eastern Kentucky and share the story of Dueling Barrels at the upcoming Alltech Idea Pub: News & Brews event. The public is invited to enjoy thought-provoking conversation, light bites and Dueling Barrels™ Pikeville Ale for guests ages 21 and older. The event is free and will be held at 6 p.m. on Aug. 21 at Town Branch Distillery in Lexington, Kentucky. For more information, visit https://go.alltech.com/newsandbrews or the Alltech News & Brews Facebook event page.

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Contact: Lauren Dozier, Alltech PR

press@alltech.com; 859-351-8892

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Mrs. Deirdre Lyons, co-founder of Alltech, is joined by former Kentucky Governor Paul Patton and Dr. Mark Lyons, president of Alltech, after receiving the 2018 Business Person of the Year award from the Southeast Kentucky Chamber of Commerce.  

About Deirdre Lyons:

Deirdre Lyons was born in Dublin, Ireland, and graduated from St. Mary’s College, University College Dublin, in 1970. In 1977, Deirdre moved to Kentucky with her husband, Dr. Pearse Lyons, and their two small children, Aoife and Mark. Their daughter, Aoife, now holds a Ph.D. in clinical psychology and works at Alltech’s European Headquarters in Dunboyne, Ireland. Their son, Mark, has a Ph.D. in solid state fermentation and is now president of Alltech, having served as executive vice president and head of Greater China since 2011.

Deirdre co-founded Alltech with her husband, Pearse, in 1980 to help farmers feed the world, raise healthy animals and protect the environment through natural, nutritional innovation. Today, Alltech is a more than $2 billion company with more than 6,000 employees supporting its business presence in over 120 countries. Deirdre is Alltech’s director of corporate image and design, which has involved carefully architecting, designing and outfitting Alltech’s facilities in nearly 100 countries to ensure a consistent brand image.

She has achieved national and international accolades on behalf of Kentucky through her work on the historic Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games™ 2010; various art initiatives, including the annual Alltech Vocal Scholarship Competition and Celebration of Song; humanitarian endeavors as far away as Haiti and as close as local primary schools’ laboratories; and numerous leadership boards in Kentucky, including the Kentucky Chamber of Commerce, the Kentucky Horse Park Foundation, the Kentucky Equine Humane Center and the University of Kentucky Sanders-Brown Center on Aging.

About Alltech:

Founded in 1980 by Irish entrepreneur and scientist Dr. Pearse Lyons, Alltech discovers and delivers solutions for the sustainable nutrition of plants, animals and people. With expertise in yeast fermentation, solid state fermentation and the science of nutrigenomics, Alltech is a leading producer and processor of yeast additives, organic trace minerals, feed ingredients, premix and feed.

Our guiding ACE principle seeks to develop solutions that are safe for the Animal, Consumer and the Environment. Our more than 6,000 talented team members worldwide put this purpose to work every day for our customers.

Alltech is a family-owned company, which allows us to adapt quickly to emerging customer needs and to stay focused on advanced innovation. Headquartered just outside of Lexington, Kentucky, USA, Alltech has a strong presence in all regions of the world. For further information, visit www.alltech.com/news. Join us in conversation on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.