Head of Taittinger Champagne Says English Invented Sparkling Wine

The former United Kingdom interim program and strategy director of High Speed Rail 2 Ltd. (HS2), Patrick O'Connell holds the title of executive director of the Office of the Chief of Naval personnel of the U.S. Navy. Outside of his work with HS2 and the U.S. Navy, Patrick O'Connell enjoys diverse interests, including a love of fine French wine.

While the origins of Champagne, the sparkling wine typically made of Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and Pinot Meunier grapes, remain unclear, the 17th century monk Dom Pierre Perignon is often credited with its invention. But in a recent interview with Le Figaro newspaper, Pierre-Emmanuel Taittinger, the head of Taittinger Champagne, one of the most prestigious Champagne houses in the world, says he believes the English actually came up with it first. 

Mr Taittinger went on to posit that the English created Champagne by mistake when they left inexpensive white wines from France on the London docks, causing a second fermentation, which results in carbonation. He added that the English were also the first to create clarets from Burgundy, Bordeaux, and cognac. But despite the latest developments, the centuries-old mystery of Champagne's origin is unlikely to have come to an end.

Beta Gamma Sigma Leadership Summit

University of Oxford lecturer Patrick O'Connell has extensive senior executive experience managing complex transformational projects for international private and public enterprises, including High Speed Rail 2 Ltd. (HS2) in London, England. In 2014, he served as interim program and strategy director for HS2’s $85 billion dollar high-speed rail program. During his academic career, Patrick O’Connell obtained life-long membership to the prestigious Beta Gamma Sigma (BGS) business honor society while completing a PhD in computer science at George Washington University.

BGS is an internationally recognized honor society specifically for business majors attending programs accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business. BGS chapters have been established in nearly 600 universities in 190 countries. The 103-year-old program has over 830,000 life-long members worldwide, including high-ranking executives, entrepreneurs, and academics. 

The society’s members will gather at its annual Global Leadership Summit in November of 2018. The event brings hundreds of students from the top business schools together to hear motivational speeches by industry leaders, network with other students, and meet with recruiters. The summit will take place over four days in Chicago, Illinois.

Building Bench Pressing Capacities Through Lat Strength

Patrick O’Connell is a well-established organizational administrator who guided High Speed Rail 2 Ltd. (HS2) in the UK as interim director. His focus with HS2 was on launching an ambitious project that will connect London and the Midlands through a high-speed train linkup. Passionate about fitness, Patrick O’Connell has trained for powerlifting competitions in his age group, with an aim of setting new records. 

Making progress at bench pressing and moving up weights requires specific strategies, including building up lat strength. Even on a bench, the entire back is engaged in moving the heavy weighs, with the lat muscles being critical. One way of increasing lat capacity involves performing bent-over rows using a barbell. 

This foundational exercise involves holding the barbell with the palms facing down, the torso bent forward nearly parallel to the floor, and the head kept up. Starting with the barbell hanging down, maintain a stationary torso while bringing the barbell up toward the body. 

With the lift occurring on the out breath, the elbows are kept up near the torso so that only the forearms do the lifting. The contracted position at the apex of the lift can be augmented by contracting the back muscles and getting a full lateral workout, which in turn boosts bench pressing strength.

US Navy Continues Move to Cloud-Based Operating Models

Patrick O'Connell is the former interim director of program and strategy at London’s High Speed Rail 2, Ltd (HS2). Patrick O'Connell stepped away from HS2 in 2016 and took on the role of executive director and chief of naval personnel with the US Navy. 

In December 2016, the chief of naval operations approved a new operating model for the chief of naval personnel and all relevant departments. The new model can largely be attributed to Mr. O'Connell, who was recruited to the position of chief of naval personnel operations earlier in the year with orders to update the Navy’s existing operating model, which was described as asynchronous and piecemeal in design. The older mode of operations often had provided inaccurate analytics and generally functioned too inefficiently to maintain.

The newer model assumes a more holistic attitude and relies heavily on modernized cloud computing technology. Approval of the operating model was further supported by both the Department of Defense chief information officer and the Department of Navy chief information officer, who recommended the Navy continue moving away from outdated “on-premise” models to a more effective, accessible cloud-based model.

New East Midlands Business Advisory Group Focuses on HS2 Benefits

A longtime organizational administrator who presently serves as the United States Navy’s chief of naval personnel, Patrick O’Connell previously held interim leadership responsibilities with High Speed Rail 2, Ltd. (HS2). Patrick O’Connell guided strategy and program development for an ambitious HS2 high speed rail network that will connect London with the Midlands and Northern England.

With the $85 billion project progressing year-by-year, members of the regional business community are beginning to invest significant effort into planning for expected economic growth. Recently, the business advisory group of HS2 (Geldards) and the East Midlands Chamber of Commerce partnered to create a new business advisory group that will coordinate activities region wide. 

The projected gains are substantial, once HS2 trains begin operation in 2032, they are expected to generate nearly $5.5 billion in additional economic activity. The aim of the new group is to find strategic pathways toward maximizing these gains and providing East Midlands residents with greater opportunities as a result. In addition to developing new infrastructure that attracts high value companies, the plan involves regenerating local industries as well.

Visiting Bandhavgarh National Park

Formerly the interim director for High Speed 2 (HS2), the UK’s high-speed rail project, Patrick O’Connell currently serves as chief of naval personnel for the US Navy in Washington, DC. In addition to his work with HS2 and the US Navy, he has held a variety of other leadership positions in the public and private sectors. In his free time, Patrick O’Connell enjoys traveling, and has visited a number of notable places, such as the Bandhavgarh region in India. 

Located in the Indian state of Madhya Pradesh, Bandhavgarh National Park is one of India’s most popular destinations. The park, which encompasses 65 square miles, features grasslands and thickly forested areas that are home to a variety of wildlife, including the endangered Bengal tiger. Leopards, sloth bears, and numerous bird and deer species also inhabit the area. 

Visitors to Bandhavgarh National Park can view the diverse flora and fauna via Jeep or elephant safaris. For the best chance of spotting some of the tigers in the area, however, guides recommend going by elephant. Jeep safaris are a good option for visitors looking to see some of the harder-to-reach areas of the park.

Bandhavgarh has three major zones: Tala, Magdi, and Bamera. Of the three, Tala and Magdi are the most popular because they offer the best wildlife viewing. Park officials suggest visiting between February and June, when the weather is most fair. The park is closed from July 1 to October 15.

Bench Presses - An Ideal Way of Increasing Power and Bone Density

Presently the US Navy’s chief of naval personnel, Patrick O'Connell has a leadership background encompassing positions such as interim director with High Speed Two (HS2) Ltd. His accomplishments with HS2 included positioning the transformational $85 billion rail network for long-term success. A fitness enthusiast, Patrick O'Connell is currently training to break the record for bench-press within his age group. 

The benefits of bench press exercises include activating a wide range of muscle groups in the body’s upper half, including the forearm, hand muscles, deltoids, and pectorals. With the abdomen also engaged, bench pressing boosts power for sports in general. The impact is cumulative; as upper-body power increases, both the quickness of reps and number of sets can be stepped up.

With a regular workout regimen in place, bench presses also help build bone mass. The bone cells are stimulated to deposit more tissue in the bones, which helps avoid the decreasing bone density and increasing skeletal fragility that many older people experience. The low impact nature of this free-weight, multi-joint activity makes it ideal for those seeking to increase endurance and strength as they grow older.