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Focus on ... David Dempsey
International Financier, Runner, Triathlete, Pilot — and Father
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orn and raised in Dublin Ireland, I was active in lots of sports: rugby, tennis and basketball — which all involved some running — but I never got involved in track or cross country, and road racing was not much heard of in those days in Ireland.
As an undergraduate, I went to college at University College Dublin and graduated with a Bachelor of Commerce degree in 1971. During that time, I was also quite active in an international student business organization called AIESEC (which is also quite active in the U.S.). After running a local chapter and becoming National President, I was elected to an eighteen month term to run the International office in the Netherlands which we
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| At an AIESEC Meeting c. 1973 |
At the end of my term of office, I wanted to go into international finance and got some offers in London. One of them, Chase Bank, offered to train me in class in the mornings for a year on corporate lending, while also “learning the ropes” in the afternoon — and getting paid for it — so I accepted their offer. A year and a half later, six of us were transferred to New York City for six months! Well, I’m still here!
My Career in Finance
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hen I arrived in New York in 1974, Chase was looking for people with an international background and some languages skills, so I ended up being based in New York — but traveling frequently to Europe — and having responsibility for European multinationals.
Later, I spent several years at Booz Allen in the management consulting business, and practically lived on an airplane, as I shuttled back and forth to lots of amazing places in the Middle East and Asia. For a number of years now, I have been at a small investment banking firm, where we do private financings for companies and funds. In recent years, much of my focus has been on Asia related business and clients.
Getting into Running
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hen I was in my 40’s it happened that — dare I say it — one of the Corporate Challenge races in Central Park was my first ever race. Running is easier and more convenient than a lot of other sports, so it fits well with limited time availability.
More recently, I married Deborah Bennett, a long time Citibanker and experienced biker and runner (and member of the NY Flyers). Deborah was Treasurer and Board Member of New York Cycle Club for three years. She is currently more active on indoor cycling and short runs.
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I Meet the Flyers
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| Veteran Runner Award |
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n the late 1990s, I had run a couple of marathons with Team in Training, and Kathy Kass came to one session and talked about her experience and why we should all join the New York Flyers. I signed up a short time afterwards — it was July of 1999 — and have found that it is a very supportive and unassuming group of runners who run for the enjoyment of running and being in the company of other Flyers. I have not done any speedwork with the Flyers, although I have worked with Mike Keohane who is well known to many Flyers. Until recently, I was a “regular” in the Flyers group run every Saturday morning run, before our daughter came along.
I have completed about 1,500 race miles and 16 marathons. I spent a very enjoyable summer as Head Coach for USAFit in their marathon training program and hope to do some more coaching in the future. It’s better known outside New York but their program here is nevertheless quite active.
In recent years, I have been a little more focused on triathlons, and I have enjoyed the challenge of trying to improve my swimming, in particular. It is harder to get the motivation for marathon training when you have run so many marathons, but I still enjoy the challenge of miles 21 to 26.2 and do the Boston Marathon — more challenging and less crowded than New York — every other year. My times have been improving with age and I really believe that experience counts, especially when it comes to longer races — you are less likely to make mistakes in the first place and better able to recover, if you do. Next challenge will be Boston 2011.
Looking Forward
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n 2007, Deborah and I became parents to a wonderful daughter, Trina, now four years old. Among other activities such as ballet and swimming, she is an active runner in NYRRC Kids Races. Deborah has also become an active volunteer for Families with Children from China. As a family, we enjoy traveling
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In the future I expect to do more smaller size marathons — I ran the Steamtown Marathon in Scranton, Pa. last year and really enjoyed it — and possibly
some overseas. I’ve run three in Europe: Athens, Dublin and London, and all three were very enjoyable.
Aviation
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n terms of other hobbies, back in the 1970s, I decided to pursue a childhood passion for aviation and became a student pilot. In the aviation equivalent of a “long run”, I subsequently became a Private Pilot, earned my Instrument Rating, became a Commercial Pilot and for the last sixteen years or so, I have been a Certified Flight Instructor, an Instrument Instructor, a Basic and Advanced Ground Instructor and a Gold Seal Instructor.
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| Training at Altitude on a Cirrus SR22 a very high tech plane |
There is less time these days to fly or pursue other hobbies, but I will always have a passion for flying and running.