County Wexford’s Best Young Entrepreneur, Jack Harte

YOUNG ENTREPRENEURS from across County Wexford will pit their business acumen against some of the south-east’s brightest young minds at Wexford County Council headquarters today, when they compete in the regional finals of Ireland’s Best Young Entrepreneur.

Jack Harte (28) of Harte Outdoor Lighting, New Ross, was named as overall winner at the county round of the competition which was hosted by Wexford Local Enterprise Office late last year.

He also claimed the prize for Best Established Business on that occasion, while Kilmore man Mark Rowe (32) was awarded in the Best Business Idea category for Dyno Med and Ronan McGrath (34) of Elevation Construction Network took home the gong in the Best Start-Up category.

Mr. Harte received an investment fund valued at €15,000 from Wexford Local Enterprise Office for his first placing, while Mr. Rowe and Mr. McGrath were respectively awarded with prizes of €7,000 and €15,000 for their wins.

Speaking after the local round, Head of Enterprise at Wexford Local Enterprise Office, Tom Banville, said “the future is bright for both young entrepreneurship and job creation in the region.”

All three principle Wexford winners will go head-to-head today with emerging business bright sparks from counties Carlow, Wicklow and Kilkenny.

For Mr. Harte, success in this competition came after a number of previous attempts.

The Director of a lighting company based on the Ring Road outside New Ross, he is delighted to have been recognised for his pioneering work in diversifying and growing his family’s business.

Now run by Mr. Harte and his mother, Harte Outdoor Lighting was established by Jack’s late father in 1983.

With a loyal customer base, it successfully sailed through the stormy waters of the recession in recent years and is now working towards expanding into new markets and growing its modern range. “I think this whole thing of you have to be a certain thing at a certain age is changing,” Mr. Harte said, with a spirit likely to inspire others hopeful of achieving success in the business world at a young age.

Read more in the Wexford Echo.