An alumnus of the Northfield Mount Hermon School, James "Jimmy" Ahern draws upon 15 years of experience in the financial sector in his role as head of capital markets for New York's Laidlaw & Company. Outside of his responsibilities with Laidlaw, James "Jim" Ahern is a passionate fan of the National Football League's New England Patriots.The Patriots filled a major void in its roster on March 16 with the signing of free agent defensive end Adrian Clayborn. New England's inability to pressure opposing quarterbacks was evident during the most recent Super Bowl, in which its defensive line struggled to pressure Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Nick Foles. Clayborn should provide significant help in this area.Viewed as one of the league's elite defensive players, Clayborn is an Iowa alumnus who was selected 20th overall by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the 2011 NFL Draft. He played four seasons with the team before joining the Atlanta Falcons in 2015. Throughout his seven-year career, the 6-foot-3, 281-pound defensive lineman has recorded 167 tackles, 30 sacks, and seven forced fumbles. The 29 year old is coming off an impressive season in which he recorded career-best figures in sacks (9.5) and fumble recoveries (2).
A graduate of the Northfield Mount Hermon School, James Ahern serves as the managing partner and head of capital markets for New York's Laidlaw & Company. When he isn't advising Laidlaw clients or raising capital for health care investments, James Ahern enjoys following his favorite National Football League team, the New England Patriots.Last season, the Patriots overcame a 25-point deficit against the Atlanta Falcons to win its fifth Super Bowl in 16 years and, according to Vegas oddsmakers, the team is poised to win another this upcoming season. In May, following the completion of the 2017 NFL Draft, one popular betting site gave the Patriots 7-2 odds of winning the next Super Bowl, ahead of the Falcons, Dallas Cowboys, Green Bay Packers, Seattle Seahawks, and Oakland Raiders, all of which were given 12-1 odds. Since then, the Oakland Raiders have become more popular, and the team's odds of winning the Super Bowl have risen to 6-1. The Patriots, however, are still the heavy favorites with 3-1 odds. Rather than resting on its 2016 laurels, the Patriots added potential impact players in free agency, including defensive backs Stephon Gilmore and Duron Harmon, as well as running back Mike Gillislee. The team also acquired wide receiver Brandin Cooks from the New Orleans Saints and tight end Dwayne Allen from the Indianapolis Colts.
