Alltech founder, president dies at age 73

LEXINGTON, Ky. (WTVQ) – Dr. Pearse Lyons, the founder and president of Alltech, has passed away at the age of 73.

The company says Lyons died Thursday morning from an acute lung condition that developed during his recovery from heart surgery.

Lyons was born in Ireland but moved to Kentucky in 1976.

He began Alltech in his garage in 1980, growing it into a global animal health and nutrition company

“We are all deeply saddened by my father’s passing,” Dr. Mark Lyons, Pearse’s son and chairman and president of Alltech, said in a statement released by the company. “He always focused on developing people, and he built an extraordinary team over the years. I know he had full confidence in his team to continue growing the company he built.”

Public visitation for Lyons will be on Friday, March 16 in Lexington. Details will be released later, according to Alltech.

A special celebration of life will be held on May 20 at the beginning of ONE: The Alltech Ideas Conference in Lexington.

Lyons’ family is asking that any expressions of sympathy, including memories and tributes, be shared at 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.