Meet Bucks Co. St. Patrick's Day Parade Marshal Tom Lynch

LEVITTOWN, PA —Bucks County's St. Patrick's Day Parade returns Saturday after a four-year absence. And with any parade, there needs to be a grand marshal.

Tom Lynch will hold that honor Saturday in the 34th annual parade that is expected to take place rain or shine in Levittown Saturday after it was called off due to the pandemic for two years and canceled last year due to inclement weather.

"I'm a former parade grand marshal," State Rep. John Galloway said. "It's an honor and a privilege. He's been a leader in the community for a long time."

The 34th annual parade will take place at 10:30 a.m. Saturday, March 11, with the procession starting on New Falls Road from Conwell-Egan Catholic High School in Bristol Township and heading down to the Levittown American Ball Fields opposite Thornridge Plaza in Falls Township.

The connection to Conwell-Egan Catholic High School rings true for Lynch.

Lynch served as a member of the board of trustees for Conwell-Egan Catholic High School, eventually becoming chairman. In January 2019, he became the school's president.

In the past four years under his leadership, tremendous strides have taken place in the school in academic programs and in the school's facilities, Galloway said.

In announcing the parade details, Galloway provided a biography of Lynch.

Lynch’s family moved to Pennsylvania in January 1967 and resided in the Cobalt Ridge section of Levittown. He graduated from Queen of the Universe School in 1968 and Bishop Egan High School in 1972. He married Patty Danaher, a 1972 Bishop Conwell graduate, in 1975. They have four children and seven grandchildren.

Lynch is the executive chairman of the board of directors for TE Connectivity, a $12 billion global technology leader. He served as the company’s chief executive officer from January 2006 to March 2017 before being elected board chairman in January 2013. He transitioned to his current position in March 2017.

Prior to TE Connectivity, he held leadership roles with General Instrument Corporation, Motorola and Tyco International.

Tom serves on the boards of Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc., Cummins Inc. and is on the boards of trustees for The Franklin Institute and Rider University. He is a member of the UW-China Business Council, a leading organization in building commercial relations with China.

He and his wife also established the Danaher Lynch Family Foundation.

"We grew up and continue to live in Bucks County, benefitting from wonderful families and friends, strong communities, and a values-based Catholic education," Lynch said on the organization's website. "Our life’s journey was influenced by people who believed in us. We understand that through this network of caring people, we were able to discover our potential."

In the past four years under his leadership, tremendous strides have taken place at Conwell-Egan Catholic High School, Galloway said, including The Grace Danaher Performing Arts Center, turf fields for soccer, lacrosse, football, and field hockey and softball, science labs for engineering, chemistry, and physics), and new desks.

He’s onsite at Conwell-Egan, observing and sharing in the life of that community, recognizing and supporting the local Catholic elementary schools that feed into Conwell-Egan, and building partnerships that benefit both the elementary schools and CEC, Galloway said.

"Even though Tom Lynch has experienced success in so many areas of business, it will be his work and commitment to Catholic education in our local community that will be his legacy," the press release said. "It is for that reason that we are proud to have him as the 2023 Grand Marshal."