Michael Dawson (businessman)

Michael Dawson is a businessman and former politician from County Dublin in Ireland. He is the founder and CEO of Gift Voucher Shop.

Michael Dawson
Senator
In office
26 June 1989 – 1 November 1989
ConstituencyNominated by the Taoiseach
Personal details
Political partyFianna Fáil
SpousePauline Dawson
Children2

Career

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Dawson served briefly as a senator in 1989, when he was nominated by the Taoiseach to the 18th Seanad to fill a vacancy after the 1989 general election.[1]

In 2002, he founded he Gift Voucher Shop (GVS), an international company that created the Multi-Retailer Gift Card.[2][3]

Dawson was one of finalists in the 2007 Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year programme.[2] In 2010, he was named "Fingal Business Person of the Year" at the Business Excellence Awards 2010.[4]

In November 2018, Dawson sold his share of the Gift Voucher Shop to Fintech Blackhawk Network when the company purchased the One4all gift voucher business.[5]

Personal life

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He lives in Malahide, County Dublin. Dawson was married to Pauline and together they had three sons.[6][7] Pauline died in 2014 from cancer.[6][7]

References

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  1. ^ "Michael Dawson". Oireachtas Members Database. Retrieved 4 February 2008.
  2. ^ a b Taylor, Charlie. "Company behind One4All declares €2.65m dividend as profits jump". The Irish Times. Retrieved 6 July 2020.
  3. ^ "SFA National Small Business Awards 2007". Bank of Ireland Business Banking. Archived from the original on 25 January 2008. Retrieved 4 February 2008.
  4. ^ "Success stories abound at the Business awards". independent. 16 November 2010. Retrieved 20 October 2020.
  5. ^ O'Halloran, Barry. "An Post sells One4all in €100m deal". The Irish Times. Retrieved 20 October 2020.
  6. ^ a b O'Donoghue, Paul (8 October 2016). "'After being refused social welfare I started laughing. I was in the gutter. The only way was up'". TheJournal.ie. Retrieved 6 July 2020.
  7. ^ a b Taylor, Charlie. "One4All entered UK market with €5m 'to get revenge for Skibbereen'". The Irish Times. Retrieved 6 July 2020.