About Dolores
Ms. Connolly is one of thirteen children born and raised to entrepreneurial parents in Co. Longford. She attended Loreto Convent in Mullingar, Co Westmeath and a certificate in childhood education from Association Montessori Internationale in London. In 1979 she was recruited to work for Alquin Montessori just outside of Chicago, Illinois.
Dolores appetite for business called when she left education and joined Danka Corporation, a global technology company. Over a 15-year career there she worked herself up the ranks to become Regional Vice President for Sales & Services prior to joining Sterling Engineering and her husband, founder, Dan Casey.
She made an immediate impact in the business and worked her way up to the role of CEO at Sterling Engineering in 1997, a position she holds to this day. With 500+ employees, under Dolores’ tenure the business has grown by over 70% from when she started with annual revenues greater than €50 million euros.
Dolores and Dan both being natives of Europe decided to open their EMEA Headquarters for Sterling Engineering in Ireland, with locations in Dublin and Galway. This new venture is driven by Sterling’s global client demands to expand our world class service beyond North America. Ireland was a natural choice for Sterling’s expansion plans.
Their partnership has not only highlighted success in business put is rich in philanthropic pursuits. For Dolores this started at an early age with the Simon Community (an Irish based organisation for the homeless) and the Prison Outreach Program in Ireland. Today, Dolores’ civic duty is primarily focused on STEM education initiatives and efforts prioritizing breaking the cycle of poverty, in particular for women and girls at a local and global level.
Dolores is proudly involved and an active member in several organisations:
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- Concern Worldwide Executive Board Member since 1996
- International Women’s Forum Chicago, USA. Member since 1998
- Chicago - Galway Sister Cities Committee, Member since 2022
- Chicago Council on Global Affairs,Presidents Circle, USA. Member since 2001
- WMBE Chicago USA. WBE Member since 2013
- Irish Books, Arts and Music (iBAM!) Award, Person of the Year, 2018
- Chicago Mother Jones Statue Committee 2021
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