MICHAEL MACCORMAIC:MICHAEL MacCORMAC, who has died aged 84, was Professor Emeritus of the Faculty of Commerce at UCD.
He retired as professor of business administration in 1986, having previously served as dean of UCD School of Business. Among his many academic achievements was the introduction of the first MBA course in Europe to UCD.
He also had extensive business and financial interests. He was a former chairman of the Green Property Company, director of Brown Thomas, Irish Shell and Roma Foods. He was also a member of the Bord na Móna board.
A senior Turf Club steward, he was chairman of the Irish Equine Centre and vice-chairman of the Irish Horseracing Authority.
His contribution to UCD, and to Irish business, was acknowledged when 28 business people funded a chair in his honour.
In an article to mark the business school’s centenary last year, Prof Niamh Brennan recalled that Prof MacCormac conducted the faculty’s affairs in a progressive, collegiate and benevolent manner and was well liked by staff.
“It is a privilege and a pleasure to hold a chair named after such a distinguished academic and business man,” she wrote.
Mark Sherry of the Irish Equine Centre said he was “great” to work with. “His wide range of contacts, particularly in the academic world, was of enormous benefit to the centre’s development.”
He was born in Dublin in 1926, the son of Michael and Emily MacCormac. He enrolled at UCD in 1944 to study commerce. He graduated in 1947 winning a scholarship that enabled him to pursue a post-graduate degree in economics at UCD. A second scholarship paved the way for him to study business administration at the London School of Economics.
On his return to Dublin in 1949, he became a part-time lecturer at UCD. He secured his accountancy qualifications working in his father’s practice.
He was appointed dean of the commerce faculty in 1973, a position he held until 1980. In 1985 he unsuccessfully contested the presidency of UCD. He took early retirement the following year to concentrate on his directorships.
His wife Patricia, daughter Lucy, son-in-law James and grandson Matthew survive him.
Michael Joseph MacCormac: born May 14th, 1926; died August 25th, 2010