TOP EXECS ON IRISH TRADE MISSION
Byline: Jim Ostroff
WASHINGTON — They may be fierce rivals for the apparel dollar, but William Farley and John Bryan are scheduled to be traveling companions next week on a U.S. trade mission to Ireland and Northern Ireland.
The Chicago-based competitors, the chief executive officers of Fruit of the Loom and Sara Lee, respectively, are among 20 business executives who will accompany Commerce Secretary William Daley on a “business development mission” there in support of President Clinton’s efforts to bring peace to the troubled region. The trip is to run five days, through June 11.
The executives and U.S. officials will talk with government and industry leaders in Sligo, Ireland, and throughout Northern Ireland. Commerce has not released a complete itinerary.
There will be strong representation by Fortune 500 firms on this mission. Besides Fruit of the Loom and Sara Lee, firms sending representatives include The Boeing Co., Fluor Daniel, General Electric Co., Motorola, Monsanto Co., Pfizer and Pitney Bowes. Executives from smaller firms also will attend, largely drawn from the U.S. computer hardware, software and environmental control industries.
Commerce said the mission “will promote U.S. business development interests through partnerships between U.S. firms and companies from Northern Ireland and the border counties of Ireland.”
Sara Lee and Fruit are huge suppliers in the basic casual apparel and underwear business, although Sara Lee is a much more diversified consumer-products company. Fruit for several years has operated apparel assembly facilities in the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland.
Farley did not return requests for comment on the trip. Bryan could not be reached, and a company spokesman declined to comment.