A co-founder and director of one of the region’s top employers has been officially bid a warm farewell by his colleagues at Ei Electronics.
Dr. Mike Byrne spent 44 years as Head of Research & Development with the Shannon-based Company.
Dr. Byrne, a UCD Physics graduate, joined what was then ‘The Ei Company’, an affiliate of US Multinational General Electric in 1976. In 1988 he was involved with CEO Mick Guinee in the successful Management Buy Out (MBO) that led to the formation of what then became Ei Electronics. ‘The Doc’ as Mike is fondly known, can be credited with the development of Ei Electronics’ first smoke alarms in the 1970s; the Ei100B, which is still in production today.
With over 25 patents to his name, his vision and genius has continuously positioned the company at the forefront of smoke and CO alarm innovations, right up to the present day. He was awarded the UCD Alumni Award for Science in 2018. His most recent achievements saw the release of Ei’s latest IoT Gateway and Remote Inspection solutions in 2020.
Speaking at the retirement function, Mick Guinee, CEO attributed the Company’s product quality over the years to Mike’s attention to detail and meticulous design validation. He legacy, he added is “an unrivalled range of products at the leading edge of sensor and IoT technologies.” On a personal note he acknowledged Mike’s humility, integrity and sense of humour, and noted that he will be greatly missed.
At the function for Mike and his wife Patricia at the Company’s Shannon Campus many tributes were paid by colleagues, past and present from all over the world. Mike paid tribute to his fellow Co- founders and Directors, Mick Guinee and Jim Duignan and the talent and commitment of the many engineers and employees with whom he worked over the years.
As he looks to the future, Mike will remain a strong advocate of Ei’s culture of supporting deserving voluntary projects and charitable organisations throughout the region, having recently established a charitable foundation with his family.
Today Ei Electronics employs over 1,000 people worldwide, with over 900 at its Headquarters in Shannon, where manufacturing and all key functions are based. The Company is one of the largest employers in the region and holds a leadership position in the residential smoke and carbon monoxide alarm sectors in which it operates globally.
