ST. BONAVENTURE — St. Bonaventure University alumnus and global businessman Richard P. “Dick” Kearns will return to his alma mater in October, bringing along a panel of international business executives for the 10th annual Kearns Global Business Lecture.

The presentation, “Improving Our Financial IQ,” will begin at 4 p.m. Oct. 19 in the Rigas Family Theater of the Regina A. Quick Center for the Arts on the St. Bonaventure campus.

Free and open to the public, the event will be livestreamed on the university’s online channel. Kearns and his team welcome local businesspeople to attend.

“Every day, people receive a steady stream of data about the U.S. and global economy,” said Dr. Matrecia James, dean of the School of Business. “Understanding how all this information correlates is a challenge. Dick and his panel are working closely with our student teams to improve their financial IQ and to provide a context that will help them better understand all the economic information that comes their way.”

Kearns has more than five decades of experience in global markets, including nine years living and working in Switzerland. He retired from Zurich Insurance in June 2023 after serving 21 years as a board director in the U.S. and chief administrative officer in Switzerland. Previously, he spent 30 years at PwC in senior roles, including as vice chairman.

Kearns served as a St. Bonaventure trustee from 2000-09. He is a recipient of the university’s Gaudete Medal, 2017 Alumnus of the Year award, and an honorary doctorate in 2019. He received a BBA in accounting and is a CPA. 

Joining Kearns on the panel will be:

• Brian Kearns, vice president and CFO of BH Aircraft Co. He began his career with EY, where he spent 15 years in various audit and consulting roles, including multiple international assignments serving global clients throughout Europe and the Middle East. He also served in financial positions at Goldman Sachs and Pall Corporation. He received a bachelor’s degree in accounting from Providence College and is a CPA.

• Donard P. Gaynor, chairman of Glanbia, Plc., an Irish-based global nutrition group with operations in 32 countries. He previously served in senior executive positions at Beam Global Spirits, Seagram’s and PwC. Gaynor serves on the boards of other internationally based companies and has held global roles throughout his career in the U.S., Europe, and Asia Pacific. He is both a CPA and chartered accountant.

• Thomas McCarthy, manager of learning and development with Marriott International, working with the company’s hotel and field sales teams across North America. Since 2013, he’s worked in a variety of sales roles with The Ritz-Carlton and W Hotel brands, most recently as the inaugural sales executive for W Nashville. McCarthy also chairs ONE, Marriott’s LGBT+/Ally associate talent network. A St. Bonaventure graduate, he received a BBA in marketing in 2010 and an MBA in 2013.

• Jennifer Torneden, senior vice president of marketing and sales with Legal & General America Insurance, has served in global and national roles for her current firm as well as Aon and Zurich Insurance. She lived and worked in Switzerland for eight years. She received the 2019 Women to Watch Award from Business Insurance Magazine and holds a B.S. in finance from George Mason University and an MBA from Columbia University.