The Grand Marshal of the Holyoke St. Patrick's Parade is the highest local honor given to a person of Irish ancestry and either a resident of the city of Holyoke or a member of the parade committee. He/she has distinguished themselves as a loyal person to the parade comittee, their career, their family, and to their Irish ancestry.
The leader of the 2013 St. Patrick's Parade is Chicopee native Brian Q. Corridan. To call him a leader is not a term to be used lightly. He is not stranger to a lifelong commitment of service through the military, education, business, volunteerism and healthcare. His dedication to the community epitomizes the distinguished role of Grand Marshal.
Brian is the President and CEO of Corridan & Co., a privately owned investment firm which he founded in 1994. He has spent his entire professional career in the financieal field as a stockbroker. Brian has shared his vast knowlegde of finances and investing with many local businesses and organizations. His invaluable insight has been put to use through his service on a myriad of Boards of Directors.
Brian currently serves as the Director of the Mass. state College Building Authority's Finance Committee. This group supports nine state colleges in the management of the design, construction and operation of revenue funded student residentce halls and activity facilities on these campuses. He is also actively involved in the Westmass Area Deveopment Corporation (Director) as well as a member of the Investment Committee for Baystate Health Systems.
Mr. Corridan is also an avid supporter of education, both on the youth and collegiate levels. He has served as the Director of the World Is Our Classroom Initiative and the Govenors Juvenile Justice Advisory Council. Brian was also Director of the Springfield North End community Center and Our Lady of Providence Children's Center at Brightside.
In addition, he has been involved as a trustee at both Our Lady of the Elms College and Springfield Technical Community College. Brian has also served as a Trustee of Baystate Medical Center and was the Founding Chairman of the STCC Technology Park. In May 2012 the conference center building at the Technology Park was renamed the "Brian Q. Corridan Center," no doubt due to his support and leadership for over twenty years.
Brian is a graduate of Chicopee High School and Stonehill College. After graduation he attended Naval Officer's Training School in Newport, RI. He was assigned to the guided missile Cruiser USS Columbus C.G.12 and achieved the rank of Lieutenant,J.G.
An active member of the Chicopee Parade Committee, Brian was their Marshal in 1994. The Holyoke St. Patrick's Committee awarded him the Daniel J. Gallivan Award in 1987 for his exceptional work spanning the two committees. Brian's involvement with the annual parade doesn't stop there, however. Since 2003 he has been the television commentator/host of the parade.
Brian is married to the former Paula Galvin and they have two sons, Kevin and Colin, one daughter Kathryn, daughter in law Kate and two grandchildren Caroline and Emmet.
PAST GRAND MARSHALS:
Francis Baker
David K. Bartley
Peter Brady
Patrick Bresnahan
Alan Cathro
James A. Curran
Charles Dinn
Barry Farrell
Maurice Ferriter
Ann Gibbons
Joseph Gosselin
Gerald Healy
Francis Kane
Bernie Lavelle
Rev. Joseph Maguire
Joseph McGiverin
Russell McNiff Sr.
James O'Leary
Fr. Francis Sullivan
Frederick Sullivan
Daniel Tierney
Christine Zajak
