Mike O'Brien

2002 ENTREPRENEUR IN RESIDENCE

Michael C. O'Brien is co-founder and CEO of FinancialAid.com. His direction of the company and its Internet marketing strategies has made FinancialAid.com one of the most successful student loan companies in the country. Today, FinancialAid.com funds more than $60 million dollars in student loans each month. O’Brien currently leads the company’s expansion into other financial services, including mortgage financing/refinancing, auto loans and credit card debt consolidation.

O’Brien is considered an expert in higher education finance and has been interviewed by national television and print news media regarding the growing demand for student loan consolidation. O’Brien also has delivered speeches on Internet marketing trends and techniques at the CEO West Conference (Collegiate Entrepreneurs Organization) and the National CEO Conference in Washington, DC.

Prior to co-founding FinancialAid.com, O'Brien established NationWide Threads LLC, which specializes in brand creation and development through imprinted goods, website design and hosting. O’Brien also served as the Vice President of Marketing for Coastal Mailing, Inc., one of the largest direct mail marketing companies on the West Coast.

O'Brien received a Bachelor of Science degree in Marketing from California State University, Fresno.