Michael Dowling

Northwell Health, a nonprofit integrated healthcare network, is New York State's largest healthcare provider and private employer, with more than 86,000 employees.

The company provides medical care to millions, as well as contributing to research and education. Leading the company as CEO is Limerick-born and raised Michael Dowling, who was awarded the Presidential Distinguished Services Award in 2020.

Growing work ethic

Dowling was raised in the west of Limerick and says there was a lot of poverty in his area growing up. As a teenager he worked in steel factories in England to make money for his family.

When he got into University College Cork, he started to divide his time between there and New York, where he worked on the docks to put himself through college. He also played hurling for UCC and Limerick, and was involved in student politics.

This work ethic and willingness to be involved in many areas and projects has stayed with him his whole life. He says, “The only problem we have in life is the days are only 24 hours and the weeks are only 7 days long, and you have to stretch it.”

Decision to stay in New York

Like many Irish people before and since, Dowling moved to the US after college to make money, always with the intention of coming home. But after completing a Masters at Fordham, he was asked to lecture there, and he became the Assistant Dean of Graduate Social Services and head of the Westchester campus.

"You get lucky breaks in life, and the Governor of the state of New York, Mario Cuomo, his staff reached out and asked if I would be interested in a potential job in government. I thought, why the heck, why not? And I ended up joining the Cuomo Administration, and within a couple of years I ended up as the head of all Health and Human Services for the state of New York,” he says.

Dowling later moved on to become COO of Northshore Hospital, which expanded under his leadership to become the Northwell System.

Strong ties to Ireland

Throughout his years in education, government and business in the United States, Dowling has maintained strong ties to Ireland, both personally and professionally.

“The communication between myself and the people in Ireland is continuous. I am involved with a lot of Irish events and organisations, both in Ireland and in New York, and I participate as much as I can,” he says.

First generation immigrant

“Being a first generation immigrant, I came to the US with nothing. I’ve been lucky, to be honest. There is something about the Irish character — we are very resilient, good personalities, hard working," he adds. "The essence of the Irish character is a treasure and makes me very proud to be Irish.”

Of his award, Dowling says: “The award is absolutely terrific, it demonstrates and recognises the people who have left Ireland and that are doing good work overseas, but who have not forgotten Ireland and where they came from.”