MBA Award Established to Honor Beard Institute Leader James Byrne

Lennox International Inc. and the John F. Donahue Graduate School of Business have partnered to establish a new award named in honor of the executive director of the Beard Institute, James J. Byrne.

The new James J. Byrne Award for Responsible Leadership will honor Byrne’s two decades of leadership on the Lennox International board of directors and his significant contributions to the Palumbo•Donahue School of Business, according to Dean Alan R. Miciak.

The annual $4,000 award, funded by Lennox International, will be presented every April to a working, part-time student in the Master of Business Administration program. Candidates will demonstrate commitment to contributing to business and society through responsible leadership, as well as academic distinction and leadership in their company and community. At a recent ceremony in Dallas, Lennox presented Byrne with a plaque commemorating this award and adopted a resolution that chronicled his many contributions to the company.

Under Byrne’s direction, the Beard Institute has served as the outreach arm of the business school’s focus on business ethics, sustainability and responsible financial management, reflecting the changing landscape of American and international business.

Byrne, in his impressive career, has held senior management positions with General Electric, United Technologies and Harris Corp. In addition, he has served on the boards of three American public companies, seven international boards and several not for profit boards. He currently serves on the board of directors of the National Association of Corporate Directors (NACD), Pittsburgh.