Enjoying the moment

Fran McGorry, '83, MBA '97, delivers a laser-like commitment to La Salle and local communities

In addition to serving as CEO and co-owner of Liberty Coca-Cola Beverages, a franchise serving one of Coca-Cola's biggest markets, Fran McGorry, '83, MBA '97, has a pulse on La Salle University and its neighboring communities. And he has made a growing commitment to Explorer events and investments in local communities and organizations.

McGorry, who holds a B.S. in accounting and an MBA in finance from La Salle, walks the talk of giving back to La Salle. He was a lead sponsor of vital alumni activities including a recent golf outing supporting the men's basketball team. He supported the 2024 Annual Charter Dinner that celebrates the 1863 founding of La Salle College and pays tribute to the generations of Christian Brothers and laypersons whose vision made La Salle the institution it is today. McGorry also champions local organizations in his top role at the bottling operation that serves restaurants, supermarkets, and retailers in New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania.

Noting that he "has always done well by La Salle," McGorry explained that he returned to 20^th and Olney to obtain his master's when he was a young executive working his way up the corporate ladder at Coca-Cola. Both associations have paid off handsomely for McGorry, whose tenure at the beverage behemoth has been so successful that his two sons, Fran and Sean, have carved out their own business careers at the franchise.

McGorry's Coca-Cola roots run deep at 30-plus years. Prior to his current role, he served as president of Coca-Cola Refreshment's Tri-State Metro Operating Unit. But his big break came when he and another Coca-Cola veteran, Paul Mulligan, leapt on the opportunity to launch Liberty Coca-Cola Beverages when the Coca-Cola Company refranchised its company-owned U.S. territories in 2017.

Today, Liberty Coca-Cola Beverages LLC is a booming franchise operating production and distribution facilities in Philadelphia, Moorestown, N.J., and Elmsford, N.Y., and sales and distribution centers in Marmora and South Brunswick, N.J., along with the Bronx, Maspeth, Elmsford, New Windsor, and Smithtown, N.Y.

At Liberty, McGorry and Mulligan place a premium on their people and in supporting their local communities. "The "L" in Liberty stands for Local and we want to give back and make a real difference," McGorry said. The company recently partnered with Chris Long, a retired Philadelphia Eagles defensive end, to help launch the EdZone initiative to aid local Philadelphia elementary schools with basic needs. And the company continues to be a lead sponsor for the Police Athletic League of Philadelphia, where McGorry serves as a board member. PAL helps youth in the community by developing them as future leaders and creates opportunities for them to thrive. Liberty also supports the Jaws Youth Playbook and Ron Jaworski's Holiday Bike Drive that provides hundreds of bicycles every year to kids in underserved neighborhoods. Jaworski is a former professional quarterback who played in the National Football League for 17 seasons.

While forming philanthropic ties with local communities, McGorry also finds time to help build a better future for his alma mater. In June, McGorry's company was the presenting sponsor of the Annual Friends of Bill Raftery Golf Outing held at the North Hills Country Club in North Hills, Pa. The event supports the La Salle men's basketball program and has raised more than $1 million since 2002.

At the golf event, the Philly native who originally selected La Salle because of its strong business program and hometown school vibe, got to mix it up with fellow supporters on the course and at the awards dinner afterward. The group of alumni and friends included Fran Dunphy, '70, HON '20, this year's honoree.

"It was a great outing full of good stories and it's always inspiring to get wisdom from Fran Dunphy," said McGorry. Interestingly, both he and Dunphy continue to have a positive influence on the Explorer community with the latter serving as special assistant to La Salle University's President, Daniel J. Allen, Ph.D.

McGorry credits the "tremendous renovation" of La Salle's former Tom Gola Arena and its latest academic moment to Allen, with assistance from John Meko, '90, MBA '96, a past development officer who subsequently served as executive director of The Union League Legacy Foundation. The Explorer faithful reveled in the unveiling of the new John E. Glaser Arena at the opening of the 2024-2025 basketball season. The renovated arena in the heart of the University's campus has recharged the atmosphere and put La Salle on a new footing to compete with the biggest programs in the school's storied hoops region.

"They have done an excellent job invigorating La Salle," McGorry said.

As La Salle continues to flourish, look for Liberty to do the same. Indeed, McGorry's company has big, bold plans. Liberty's 2025 Kickoff to Greatness Campaign goal is to double its business over the next 10 years. The duo at the helm of Liberty aim to become a symbol of excellence with not only top-notch customer service but nurturing long-lasting relationships with people in the communities where they live, work and play.

By Trish Gilmartin Williams