Iona will hold its first commencement as a full university on Friday, May 19.
And the first commencement keynote speaker will be Irish.
Maggie Timoney, CEO of Heineken USA will be delivering words of advice and encouragement to the Class of 2023.
And it will be a return to a familiar New Rochelle campus for Timoney.
The Ballina, County Mayo native played basketball for the Gaels between 1989 and 1992. Her academic three-pointer is an MBA.
Said a release from Iona: "As the first woman to serve as CEO of a major U.S. beer company, Timoney is widely recognized as a transformational, barrier-breaking leader. She will address over 850 graduates and 5,500 guests.
"A native of Ireland recruited to play basketball at Iona, Timoney joined HEINEKEN USA in 1998 as a national sales manager.
"Since then, she has held leadership positions in the United States, The Netherlands, Canada and Ireland, including general manager of HEINEKEN Canada; senior vice president of human resources in the U.S.; and CEO of HEINEKEN Ireland. Prior to joining HEINEKEN, she worked for Gallo and an Anheuser-Busch wholesaler."
Timoney earned a bachelor’s degree in international studies from Iona in 1989 and an MBA in organizational behavior in 1992.
In 2001, she was inducted into Iona’s Goal Club Hall of Fame as one of the greatest women’s basketball players in the University’s history. At the time, she held the title for all-time leading scorer with 1,894 career points; she is currently third in the ranks.
Timoney has served on the Iona Board of Trustees since 2015 and regularly credits her time at Iona with helping to form and shape her leadership skills.
"She remains an active and engaged member of the Iona community, from speaking with students and offering career advice to attending alumni gatherings and hosting networking events.
"Iona was a pivotal time that helped shape me into the person I am today. Reflecting on my time there, I would not change a thing,” Timoney said.
“I am incredibly humbled and so honored to speak to this year’s graduates.”
