Management

Richard J. O’Brien President & CEO, Payment Pathways, Inc.

The founder of Payment Pathways and co-inventor of PPI’s patents, Mr. O’Brien’s career spans three decades in the information and communications technology marketplace where he established a reputation for taking ideas and creating entire new sources of revenue. He established Peering and Financial Exchanges for the satellite, options, and trading industries for Equinix where he also led Fortune 50 companies and the financial (trading) community to migrate global network hubs, Web, and email operations to Equinix and its foreign partner in Brazil.

At Starburst Software, Rick sold the first commercial multicast file transfer technology for global Web caching and simultaneous database updates across various security enclaves in the DoD, Intel and Satellite industries.

In 1994 he introduced the first Windows desktop video tele-conferencing software solution company, InVision, driving revenue over $1M within the first six months of product launch. In 1991, he led the sales force of the first fax server software company, SofNet, driving revenue over $2.5 million in the first year of the company&rquo;s existence.

In the eighties, his projects included privatizing Telebit’s spread spectrum digital signal processors to accelerate sales for GE Medical Systems, and introducing and selling the first commercial use of DES technology to the Fed, coupled with writing the specification for the first DES-based security processor to automate ACH payments in production control systems. This ACH dial-access capability enabled first use of on-demand “just-in-time” payments to GM’s supply chain for First National Bank of Chicago and Digital Pathways. It exceeded product lifetime expectations and was decommissioned after more than a decade of high-volume payment processing.

Rick has a BA in English Literature from McGill University, Montreal, Quebec

Kirk McInerney Executive VP, Payment Pathways, Inc.

Kirk is a seasoned executive and attorney with a proven track record of organizational improvement, entrepreneurship and  intellectual asset management.  He is an investor in Payment Pathways and the President of IP Transactions Group a consulting firm maximizing returns on intangible assets.  His experience includes serving as the CEO of an IP asset services and software company, the COO to Andersen’s Research & Innovation Group, Asst General Counsel of a Fortune 500 company and founder of three successful start-ups.

Kirk holds a BSc. in Chemistry (cum laude) from the University of Notre Dame and a JD from George Washington University, Washington, DC and resides with his wife in Winnetka, IL.

Charles A. Brizzolara Corporate Counsel, Payment Pathways, Inc.

Charles has represented issuers and their guarantors in private borrowings from banks and insurance companies; represented issuers in public borrowings on senior, subordinated and junior subordinated levels, domestically and in Eurodollar borrowings; represented issuers of equity securities, both common and preferred, in both public and private transactions; responsibility for and counseling regarding compliance with the Securities and Exchange Act of 1934 and state securities regulation, periodic and other compliance filings and preparation and dissemination of proxy materials and holding of stockholders meetings; represented underwriters in offerings of tax exempt municipal bonds.

He counseled and represented bank holding companies in acquisitions of major banking subsidiaries and sale of banking subsidiaries; represented bank holding companies in their non-banking acquisitions and de novo opening of offices, subsidiaries and activities, and in mandated divestiture of non-banking related subsidiaries; responsible for compliance reporting with federal and state banking authorities for bank holding companies.

Represented purchasers in numerous acquisitions and divestitures involving banking, commercial finance and industrial companies. Total acquisitions in which the acquiring company was represented number more than 40; total divestitures number more than 20.

Represented lenders, both banks and commercial finance companies, in numerous secured lending transactions including leveraged leases of aircraft to commercial air carriers, and of railroad cars, computer equipment, nuclear power plants, and a hotel; accounts receivable lending transactions; factoring of textile operations and timber and lumber companies, and lending against inventory, machinery and equipment, real estate and other collateral, and representation of franchisees, insurance companies, manufacturers and other suppliers in matters involving use of letters of credit, international shipping documentation and participation and other transactions among banks, and general corporate affairs.

Counseling of U.S. parent companies in formation of foreign subsidiaries and entering into joint ventures in all western European and many Far East jurisdictions; formation of an Austrian bank and compliance with German and Austrian banking regulations; formulation of loan documents for foreign commercial lending and factoring companies. Representation of major furniture manufacturer with manufacturing, assembling and sales facilities in Italy, France and Germany; compliance with Foreign Corrupt Practices Act; labor negotiations involving French unions, negotiating and drafting purchasing and sales agreements; negotiation and preparation of transnational sales contracts; negotiation of international shipping arrangements.

Charles has testified before committees of the U.S. House of Representatives (Bankruptcy Reform Act) and legislatures of Florida and Tennessee (usury and interest rates); drafted commercial finance and loan legislation for Mexico, drafted proposed amendment to banking regulations of Bundesaufsichtsamt of Germany; drafted proposed banking legislation for consideration by Senate and House of Representatives committees.

JD Illinois Institute of Technology
Chicago-Kent College of Law
Bachelor of Arts
Lake Forest College. Charles and his wife reside in Chicago.