Dave P. Tyndall, Jr.

Dave P. Tyndall Jr., (3 March 1917 – 30 June 2006), whose full name was David Patrick Tyndall Jr., was a leading Irish businessman in the 20th century, who started out in a family business with his eponymous father and eldest brother William, and played an important role in helping modernise the wholesale and retail grocery trade, consolidate it, and enable the family grocery shop owner adapt to the advent of supermarkets. He also played a key role at the head of several business organisations, was a world traveller and amateur pilot, who also featured in the Guinness Book of Records as the oldest man ever to fly a helicopter solo.

He was a son of Sarah (née Gaynor) and David P. Tyndall (Sr.). He married Molly (née Kettle) in September 1949, and they had four children: Mona, Mary, Pauline and Vivian.

He was known for his keen sense of opportunity and strategic vision, and his success at mergers and acquisitions earned him the nickname "Take-over Tyndall" in Irish business circles. Known as a caring employer, he absorbed many of the employees of wholesalers who closed down (Hugh, Moore & Alexander, Shirley Spence & Belford, McMaster, Hodgson, R. Jones & Co.), and introduced a bonus incentive scheme, and a scheme of non-contributory pensions for all employees. He lay behind the first initiative of an Irish wholesale group to establish a bonded warehouse to expand their wine & spirits business.

After his father's retirement, and in close collaboration with his older brother William, he expanded the Tyndall interests to include retail stores, through joint ventures for self-service stores across Ireland. Their reputation for honesty and loyal relationships with banks and insurance companies guaranteed them support in times of need, such as when damages were incurred due to floods or fire, etc. They successfully resisted a 25% takeover bid by Irish businessman Tony O'Reilly in 1971. Eventually they sold AWL to Joshua Watson Ltd., and Dave joined its board. It was later taken over by Irish Distillers, who were later taken over in 1988 by Pernod-Ricard.

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