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Issue link: https://digital.macdirectory.com/i/1176476
Larry O'Connor Of Owc: Working Toward A Greener World And Greater Technological Sustainability For Over 30 Years Larry O'Connor founded Other World Computing (www.owcdigital.com) while still in high school in 1988. Frustrated with the high cost and options for Apple memory expansion, he came to a better solution and started providing memory upgrades online. Today, OWC is one of the most respected suppliers of Mac product upgrades and accessories. The company has demonstrated dynamic growth in each of its 31 years of operation. Over the years, O'Connor has received numerous offers to partner or buyout, but he has instead opted to work toward his vision of building OWC into a self- sustainable organization that has become known as a great place to work, innovating and supporting professional grade solutions and service to technology users around the globe. O'Connor has provided the leadership and vision to establish OWC as the leading provider of technology products and services that it is today. OWC's products include storage, accessories, memory, and more for Mac and PC computers and peripherals. Products are sold under the OWC brand and distributed through Macsales.com at www.macsales.com, as well as numerous other resellers and distributors. OWC is currently ranked the number one technology employer in the Woodstock, Illinois area, and in total employing more than 200 people today. OWC "Green" Building OWC's commitment to the environment matches its commitment to customer service and product quality. Its 37,000 square-foot corporate headquarters opened in March 2008, and is the culmination of that environmental commitment. O'Connor's Green building design employs the principals of energy efficiency, protection of natural resources, and lowered pollution emissions. In 2008, OWC was named one of the Top 12 Green- IT Companies by Computerworld Magazine for the innovative, environmentally responsible design of OWC's corporate headquarters. The OWC corporate campus was awarded LEED® Platinum Certification in March 2010 by the Green Building Certification Institute. Platinum is the highest achievable level of the LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Program, which began in 1998. With this recognition, OWC also became the first privately owned facility in Illinois incorporating light manufacturing/assembly to obtain LEED Platinum status in the world. 100% On-Site Wind Turbine Powered & Recycling Programs Other Green initiatives include the installation of a Vestas V39-500kW wind turbine in October 2009, making OWC the first technology manufacturer/distributor in the U.S. to be 100% on-site wind powered. The