Clare McGee’s AwakenHub hosts high-level trade mission as Derry-Ohio connection gathers momentum

The chance encounter occurred in the Union League right in the city centre which, it is said, William Penn modelled on Derry’s grid system when he designed it in the 1600s.

When Mr. Malecek heard Clare was from Derry, his eyes lit up. ‘You must know Mark Owens!’

"Kevin assumed we knew each other, based on the work we do,” Mr. Owens told guests at a reception in the Guildhall.

Mr. Malecek collaborates closely with Mark though his own role as Director of Economic Trade & International Trade at City of Mentor, Ohio.

Mr. Owens is from Top of the Hill but has been living in Cleveland for 25 years and works at Team North East Ohio (NEO)/JobsOhio. He has been Ireland’s Honorary Consul to the ‘Buckeye State’ since 2023.

Both travelled to Derry as part of a US delegation thanks to that chance meeting in March.

Ms. McGee is CEO and co-founder of AwakenHub, a social enterprise dedicated to mobilising capital into women-founded start-ups.

“As part of AwakenHub’s ongoing engagements in the US it was clear that increased collaboration between the NW and NEO will offer real two-way economic opportunities for both regions,” said the Carnhill business pioneer.

Following Clare’s serendipitous meeting with Mr. Malecek she arranged to meet Mark during the Washington St. Patrick’s Day engagements.

"We got talking about why Derry and Ohio aren’t doing more and more together,” Mr. Owens said.

Earlier he had had a conversation with Dori Winter, a diplomat at the US Consulate in Belfast.

"I asked for help in meeting companies who were looking at the US market. Their first response was, 'You are from Derry right? You need to go to Derry and meet companies there. That is where your home is and we don't go there enough ourselves’.”

During the reception US Consul General to NI James Applegate said it was a ‘genuine pleasure to be back in the North West’. “I see myself as the Consul General to all of NI for the US and that's a role that I take very seriously. Regional balance is incredibly important,” he remarked.

The Mayor Ruairí McHugh noted how Ireland-US connections ‘run deep’ and are ‘shaped by generations of shared history, culture and ambition’.

"Today we have the opportunity to build on that legacy in meaningful and forward looking ways,” said Mayor McHugh.

Philip O’Doherty told attendees about his experience of US investment from both ends of the telescope.

Prior to founding E+I Engineering, Mr. O’Doherty had honed his skills as an electrical engineer at DuPont. Having started out at the Delaware-headquartered chemical and plastics manufacturer, for years the most famous US inward investor in Derry, Mr. O’Doherty’s own company went on to pour money into successful operations in Ras Al-Khaimah and Anderson County, South Carolina.

Specialising in critical power back up gear vital for must-not-fail plant such as hospitals, powerplants and data centres, E+I was ultimately acquired by Vertiv for $2billion in 2021. Vertiv is headquartered in Columbus, Ohio.

Speaking to the ‘Journal’, Mr. O’Doherty reflected: “I think DuPont give me the skills to start up E&I Engineering. I started that business in 1987. A lot of technology that DuPont had in those days, with some modifications, is pretty much the same kind of critical power design that you would use nowadays in data centres.”

He said it had made sense for E+I to expand into larger markets.

"I think for a company to scale up is important. If you are not growing you are dying really so scaling up, getting larger customers, getting more exports. It's important that we do export but sometimes you have to build your manufacturing close to where the end market is,” he said.

Mr. Owens was praised for flying the red and white colours in the US.

Ken Filipiak, Mentor City Manager said: “He is a Derry man that has really made a significant impact and reminds people in our part of the world that Derry is always worth a look. He represents you very, very well.”

Mr. Malecek concurred: “I'm very pleased to be here on Mark Owens' 'Derry Day'...I can tell you right now he carries the flag for this region and city with pride back in the State of Ohio.”

Stephen Lindsay, President of the Chamber of Commerce, is enthused about the prospect of enhanced collaboration with Ohio.

“It gives our businesses an opportunity to make connections with NEO and see if they can scale and grow there but equally they are a success story. They have developed significantly over the last ten years and we can learn a lot as a region from them,” he said.

Ms. McGee said the visit was an opportunity to highlight the AwakenHub mission of directing capital into women-founded start-ups as well as showcasing the NW.

"Anytime I can I will sell the opportunity for people to come to Derry. Once you get them here they fall in love. Our people are our biggest asset. We have the best skills. I think we have such a power of community. You want to keep our secret sauce here and that is the people,” she said.

Mr. Owens agreed: “I will tell the Derry story to anybody who will listen. We have a great story to tell in the NW here. People like Clare McGee and Philip O'Doherty and the next Philips coming out. How do we amplify that story here in Derry but also in America and in Ohio?”

Though semi-retired Mr. O’Doherty remains as passionate as ever about his home town. "I'm still doing bits and pieces because it's all about the jobs. The legacy I’m leaving behind is that there are over 2,500 in great facilities here. It's really important to me.”