National Football Foundation

Bill O'Brien established himself as a pillar in the New Haven community during a 42 year career in commercial banking. He rose to the rank of senior vice president at Lafayette American Bank in Connecticut, and he retired from New Alliance Bank in 2005, a regional bank with 75 branches located throughout the state.
 
O'Brien graduated from Quinnipiac University in Connecticut in 1962 with a B.S., and he subsequently attended banking schools at Williams College, University of Oklahoma, University of New Hampshire and the University of Colorado. He has held several prominent leadership roles in the community, including president of the Walter Camp Football Foundation, board of trustee member for Quinnipiac University, president of the New Haven Road Race, campaign chair of the Greater New Haven United Way, commissioner of the Southern Connecticut High School Conference and campaign chair for Notre Dame High School.
 
His numerous awards include a Yale University Elm Ivy Award, Connecticut Sports Writers Alliance Gold Key Award, Connecticut Association of Athletics Directors Distinguished Service Award and the first recipient of the New Haven Register Sportsperson of the Year.
 
O'Brien has been involved with the National Football Foundation for 27 years, serving as president of the Gene Casey New Haven County Chapter, and he also had the honor of representing the chapter presidents as a member of the NFF Board of Directors. Bill was responsible for raising more than a half million dollars for various charities.