It is owned by Jack Byrne who in 1985 was invited to run the troubled Fireman's Fund, then a subsidiary of American Express.

Jack Byrne, the president of the national speed-skating association, said Thometz had been issued exemptions only for the 500 and 1,000 events, and could no longer qualify for the 1,500.

Together, Mr. Hansmeyer and Mr. Brown succeed Jack Byrne, who resigned as chairman and chief executive on completion of the acquisition.

Naming the starters is the reponsibility of Coach Mike Crowe and Coach Dan Immerfall, and Jack Byrne, president of the speed-skating association.

"Jack Byrne is a very logical choice," said John Keefe, the president of Keefe Worldwide Information Services.

In August 2008, Jack Byrne said that after "much initial skepticism" he believed his son was "right all along" about the battle and lawsuits with short-sellers and analysts.

Jack Byrne, a former partner, said: "He was pretty much the self-contained advertising man.

Jack Byrne, chairman of the Fireman's Fund Corporation, the holding company, will assume Mr. McCormick's duties in an acting capacity.

One of its most famous sons was Jack Byrne of Bohemians and Shamrock Rovers.

The first plan they accepted, from an investor group led by Jack Byrne, chairman of Fund American Enterprise Holdings, would have injected $630 million of new capital into Home.