LEXINGTON, Ky. — Alltech today announced the passing of its founder and president, Dr. Pearse Lyons.

Lyons died this morning, due to an acute lung condition that developed during his recovery from heart surgery. He was 73.

“The thoughts of our entire Alltech family around the world are with Dr. Lyons’ family, specifically his wife Deirdre, daughter Aoife, son Mark and Mark’s wife Holly,” said Alric Blake, CEO and treasurer of Alltech. “Dr. Lyons was a visionary entrepreneur who transformed the agriculture industry beginning with his innovative application of yeast technology in animal nutrition. From farm to field, from market to family dinner table, our world is immeasurably better because he was a man who never saw problems, only a challenge that had not yet been solved.”

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell remembered Lyons as a pioneer and a man with great heart.

“Pearse will be remembered for his many accomplishments — as a scientist and innovator, as a businessman and philanthropist, and as husband and father,” McConnell said. “In each of these, he excelled.”

Kentucky Agriculture Commissioner Ryan Quarles said Lyons left his mark on Kentucky and was a role model.

“Dr. Lyons was, at root, a visionary and an ambassador for Kentucky,” Quarles said. “When he founded Alltech in 1980, Kentucky agriculture changed forever. The institution he built, the jobs he created, and his boundless zeal for our state lit a spark that spread into a wildfire of innovation for Kentucky agriculture, from animal feed to our beverage, fuel, and industrial alcohol industries. Dr. Lyons also gave generously to numerous philanthropic endeavors and launched a global conference that has become a staple of Kentucky’s spring calendar.

“A dear mentor of mine, he taught me the importance of continuous self-improvement and served as a role model and inspiration.”

Lyons left behind a clear plan for the leadership of Alltech. That plan includes:

• Dr. Mark Pearse Lyons, Chairman and President
• Alric A. Blake, Chief Executive Officer and Treasurer
• E. Michael Castle II, Vice President and Secretary

His wife, Deirdre Lyons, will continue to further Dr. Lyons’ vision for Alltech’s global presence and their shared commitment to philanthropy and community involvement as the company’s director of corporate image and design.

Funeral masses will be in Lexington, on March 17, and in Dublin, Ireland, in April. A special celebration of life will be held on May 20 at the beginning of “ONE: The Alltech Ideas Conference,” in Lexington.

Public visitation in Lexington will be on Friday, March 16. Arrangement details will be kept up to date on alltech.com/pearselyons.

In lieu of flowers, the family is encouraging donations to the Alltech ACE Foundation, a 501c3 nonprofit organization that funds a variety of philanthropic endeavours around the world from disaster relief to primary schools in Haiti. Donations may be made at alltech.com/pearselyons.