Lawrence O’Connor, 30, is the founder, president and chief executive officer of Illinois-based Other World Computing (OWC). The company is a leading provider of quality computer upgrade products and services for Macintosh users around the world – primarily thorough HYPERLINK "http://www.macsales.com" www.macsales.com, one of the most popular Macintosh e-commerce sites on the Web.

O’Connor’s entrepreneurial interests were kindled at an early age through various direct selling endeavors and his efforts to reprogram an accounting application for his father’s company at the age of eight.

At age 14, O’Connor began re-inking computer ribbons in the garage of his family’s home in Marengo, Ill. He offered the service through word-of-mouth advertising and small self-promotional activities with local businesses. This was the beginning of what would become OWC.

The following year, O’Connor turned to the Internet to resell computer memory. As a result, O’Connor’s company became one of the first to use AOL’s mall Classifieds, as well as online chat rooms, to promote itself and its products. Using a phone, a computer and a UPS shipping account, O’Connor quickly grew his printer ribbon refurbishing and memory resale venture into a thriving computer products and services business.

In 1994, under the direction of a 20-year-old CEO, OWC reached $1 million in annual sales. In 2004, revenue reached $28 million.

Since its inception, OWC has added thousands of consumer electronics and computer hardware products to its inventory.

Among these products is OWC’s own line of Macintosh upgrade products, which was introduced in the mid-1990s. Sold under the brand names OWC Mercury and OWC Neptune, the product line includes accelerators, FireWire storage solutions and external enclosure kits for FireWire components, as well as other hardware products.

In 2002, OWC became the exclusive distributor of Newer Tech products. The companies introduced a line of high-capacity batteries for Apple products in 2003 including the highest capacity batteries available for PowerBook G3 and G4 Models. A line of batteries for first-, second-, third- and fourth-generation iPods soon followed. And in 2005, battery options were added for the 17-inch Aluminum PowerBook, rounding out Newer Tech’s line of batteries for Apple’s PowerBook G4 series.

In addition to his thriving retail business, O’Connor launched OWC.net in 1997. OWC.net is an independent Internet service provider (ISP) offering traditional dial-up and DSL broadband Internet access, as well as satellite connectivity, Web site design and hosting and graphic design services. In early 2003, OWC launched FasterMac.net, a national ISP designed specifically for Macintosh users.

During the past 15 years, O’Connor has seen OWC grow into a profitable company with more than 60 employees, industry-recognized hardware and software products and annual sales of $28 million.

O’Connor is also the co-founder of Price.com, which has provided consumers with online comparative pricing information for computer and electronic products since 1998, and SeafoodByNet.com, which specializes in the delivery of fresh seafood anywhere in the nation.