Larry O’Bryan: From Modest Upbringing to CEO and Political Strategist

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As Michelle Obama once said, “Instead of letting your hardships and failures discourage or exhaust you, let them inspire you. Let them make you even hungrier to succeed.” Lawrence J. O’Bryan and his family are a prime example. Owner and CEO of TPC-KY, Inc., the primary label supplier to GE Appliances in North America and a key partner with Black & Decker, Thornton’s, and several other major companies, Larry O’Bryan credits much of his success to his parents, who overcame much adversity of their own to build a successful future for their children.

Born in 1959 to a poor family, Lawrence J. O’Bryan’s life story is one of rags to riches. His father did not have the opportunity to attend school past seventh grade, as he had to start working full-time to help support his family. Likewise, his mother wasn’t educated beyond high school.

However, instead of succumbing to the various challenges they faced as a result of their background and environment, they embraced adversity and used it to fuel their future.

Larry O’Bryan explained that his parents bought old homes in disrepair in an impoverished neighborhood of Louisville and his father, a handyman, transformed them into apartments. In time, the once-marginal neighborhood became the “it” place and property values escalated. The couple financed the loans themselves and eventually began to sell the properties in the 1980s.

During this time, they would pay their children to work on the apartments rather than giving them an allowance for spending to help them learn the value of hard work. They also ensured all five children attended private Catholic schools and went to college.

“I know this education and the commitment my parents made for us is a major reason for my successes in life,” Larry O’Bryan said.

It is also a significant motivation for Larry O’Bryan’s commitment to giving back to his community. He routinely donates his time and money to a number of causes, including the St. Xavier High School scholarship/endowment fund, which he founded, as well as Salvation Army for Hurricane Relief, Hearts in Motion, and Home of the Innocents, among others.

In addition to owning and helming one of the nation’s biggest label manufacturing companies, Lawrence J. O’Bryan is the founder of Pro-Active Media and has had a successful career as a political media consultant. Among other achievements, Larry O’Bryan led the successful Democratic effort to defeat four-term Republican incumbent State Senator Elizabeth Tori representing Hardin and Jefferson Counties. In 2012, he also provided the winning media for Court of Appeals Judge Irv Maze and Circuit Judge Angela Bisig. The first political media consultant to produce and air political ads in high-definition, Larry O’Bryan remains at the forefront of campaign media technology.

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