DCU Voices

DCU VOICES 54 ALUMNI INTERVIEW Catherine Fox has forged new links between DCU and Combilift, a global player in forklift manufacturing, writes Amy Molloy. A hallmark of DCU graduate Catherine Fox’s career has been making new connections while maintaining old ones. Her self- described “insatiable desire to jump at new opportunities” has seen her work in journalism, teaching, public relations, event management and with forklift-maker Combilift. In 2017, she received a call fromMartin McVicar, the CEO of Combilift, who wanted to pick her brains about what to do for the official opening of its new €50 million factory in Monaghan, which is three and a half times the size of Croke Park. She ended up working with the company for three years while on a career break from Cavan Institute and Cavan and Monaghan Education and Training Board. “I met with the team and I liked what I saw,” she says. “I knew nothing about forklifts. I didn’t even know what six metres looked like, but I walked into Combilift and the energy and the innovation was incredible. They don’t just sell forklifts, they sell solutions to your problems whether that is space- saving or handling long-loads.” Fox graduated from DCU in 1992 with a MA in journalism and has over 30 years’ experience working as a communications and media consultant. Her strong networking abilities mean people often reach out to her, and a Twitter connection with now DCU President Daire Keogh helped develop a great relationship between the university and Combilift. “Therewereonly twoDCUgraduates out of 650 people employed by Combilift at that time and when I was leaving in 2020 to join Dunboyne College there were many more DCU graduates involved,” Fox says. “We basically looked at ways in which we could link up in terms of internships, research and graduate placements. They (Combilift) are focused on talking to schools and educational institutions to help carve out relationships where possible, right from school children to graduates.” The company last year put its employees’ innovative talents to use in the battle against Covid-19. It developed a ventilator splitter product which was designed to help combat the Covid-19 virus by maximising ventilator capacity. Combilift launched the product in April 2020 during the height of the pandemic and Fox says it was a proud moment for everyone involved. “That day I remember looking at media interest and tweets, the story was getting such a good reaction and it was probably one of the highlights of my career. All I was involved with was getting the news out, but I remember saying if this device only saves one person’s life we have done our job. It’s on every continent in the world now and has saved many lives.” DCU graduate Christopher Carragher was also involved in building the Combi-Ventilate. “There were 30 years in the difference between my graduation and Christopher’s,” Fox says. “It’s amazing how things come full circle - where I am now as Deputy Principal in Dunboyne College I see many of our graduates progress into DCU via the QQI links. It’s great to see the DCU relationship continue”. “There were only two DCU graduates out of 650 people employed by Combilift at that time and when I was leaving in 2020 there were many more DCU graduates involved.” AmyMolloy (Bachelor of Civil Law, 2014 andMA Journalism, 2016) Public Affairs Correspondent with Independent News and Media @AmyMolloyIndo Strategic Industry-University agreement for Border andNorth East between DCUand Combilift. Pictured L-R: DCU President, Professor Daire Keogh; Combilift CEO, MartinMcVicar; Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation, Heather Humphreys; President of DCU 2010-2020, Professor BrianMacCraith. A winning combination Catherine Fox (MA Journalism)