There was a big crowd in attendance at the Midlands Park Hotel last month as a Laois company held a retirement function for one of its longest serving members.
ICM Computer Systems Ltd are a leading supplier of control systems for the Agri, Pet and Aqua Feed industry.
And it was they who honoured Pearse McNicholl after he gave more than 36 years to the company.
ICM Computer Systems Ltd was founded by CEO Ray Lawlor in Portlaoise in 1984.
ICM was created with the unique focus of providing process control and production management systems for the feed manufacturing industry.
It has become a partner supplier with all its customers whereby they have provided upgrade and replacement control systems through the years which is a testament to their market commitment, technological capability and customer service.
In recent years the company has diversified into other sectors and now offers a range of solutions from Industrial Automation, Energy Management to office IT.
ICM Computer Systems’s on-going investment in product development, specialist knowledge of industry, and focus on cost benefits for the customer will continue to drive its success.
Pearse McNicholl is originally from Derry. He graduated from Queens University Belfast With a BSc in electrical and electronic engineering in 1985.
Pearse went on to work in the UK for IGG and GEC Plessey as an engineer for three years.
He joined ICM in March 1989 as a software control engineer, moving to project manager and in 1999 became COO (Chief Operations Officer) .
All told, Pearse spent 36 years and 6 month on staff with ICM. He married a Portlaoise woman, Carmel, and they have two children.
Daughter Aoife is a professor of psychology in DCU and son Barry has followed in his foot steps as an engineer working in advanced integrated circuit design.
Wife Carmel retired from the position of Director of Services in Laois County Council a couple of weeks before Pearse’s retirement.
Speaking to LaoisToday, CEO Ray Lawlor spoke glowingly about his former colleague.
He said: “We held a celebration of his 36 years of achievement in the Midland Park Hotel on October 11.
“It was attended by 124 of his present and past collogues, some of his customers and contractors who all greatly admired Pearse.
“I founded ICM in Portlaoise in 1984, so Pearse has been with us for the majority of that time and has made an immense contribution to it’s success and where it is today.
“The attribute his colleagues would assign to Pearse is his integrity.”
Photographer Alf Harvey was present on the night and captured some great images:
Photo: Alf Harvey
Photo: Alf Harvey
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