William O'Brien (Minnesota)
Encyclopedia
William J. "Bill" O'Brien (born 1930 in Jacksonville, Florida
, died June 25, 2007) was a Minnesota
Republican
politician, who served as Minnesota State Auditor
and a member of the Minnesota House of Representatives
. O'Brien also unsuccessfully sought the office of Lieutenant Governor of Minnesota.
Born in Jacksonville, Florida
, O'Brien moved to Minnesota in his youth. He graduated from St. Paul Academy, and went on to college at Cornell University
, where he studied mechanical engineering
. He returned to Minnesota to complete his education, earning a degree in finance. He later worked as an investment counselor.
O'Brien was elected to the Minnesota House of Representatives
in 1962, and again in 1964. In 1967, he won a special election for the office of Minnesota State Auditor
.
O'Brien had four daughters and one stepdaughter; he was married twice. He died in 2007.
Jacksonville, Florida
Jacksonville is the largest city in the U.S. state of Florida in terms of both population and land area, and the largest city by area in the contiguous United States. It is the county seat of Duval County, with which the city government consolidated in 1968...
, died June 25, 2007) was a Minnesota
Minnesota
Minnesota is a U.S. state located in the Midwestern United States. The twelfth largest state of the U.S., it is the twenty-first most populous, with 5.3 million residents. Minnesota was carved out of the eastern half of the Minnesota Territory and admitted to the Union as the thirty-second state...
Republican
Republican Party of Minnesota
The Republican Party of Minnesota is the Minnesota branch of the United States Republican Party. Elected by the party’s state central committee in June 2009, its chairman is Tony Sutton, and its deputy-chairman is Michael Brodkorb.-Early history:...
politician, who served as Minnesota State Auditor
Minnesota State Auditor
The Minnesota State Auditor is a constitutional officer in the executive branch of the U.S. State of Minnesota. The State Auditor is charged with overseeing more than $20 billion spent annually by local governments in Minnesota...
and a member of the Minnesota House of Representatives
Minnesota House of Representatives
The Minnesota House of Representatives is the lower house in the Minnesota State Legislature. There are 134 members elected to two-year terms, twice the number of members in the Minnesota Senate. Each senate district is divided in half and given the suffix A or B...
. O'Brien also unsuccessfully sought the office of Lieutenant Governor of Minnesota.
Born in Jacksonville, Florida
Jacksonville, Florida
Jacksonville is the largest city in the U.S. state of Florida in terms of both population and land area, and the largest city by area in the contiguous United States. It is the county seat of Duval County, with which the city government consolidated in 1968...
, O'Brien moved to Minnesota in his youth. He graduated from St. Paul Academy, and went on to college at Cornell University
Cornell University
Cornell University is an Ivy League university located in Ithaca, New York, United States. It is a private land-grant university, receiving annual funding from the State of New York for certain educational missions...
, where he studied mechanical engineering
Mechanical engineering
Mechanical engineering is a discipline of engineering that applies the principles of physics and materials science for analysis, design, manufacturing, and maintenance of mechanical systems. It is the branch of engineering that involves the production and usage of heat and mechanical power for the...
. He returned to Minnesota to complete his education, earning a degree in finance. He later worked as an investment counselor.
O'Brien was elected to the Minnesota House of Representatives
Minnesota House of Representatives
The Minnesota House of Representatives is the lower house in the Minnesota State Legislature. There are 134 members elected to two-year terms, twice the number of members in the Minnesota Senate. Each senate district is divided in half and given the suffix A or B...
in 1962, and again in 1964. In 1967, he won a special election for the office of Minnesota State Auditor
Minnesota State Auditor
The Minnesota State Auditor is a constitutional officer in the executive branch of the U.S. State of Minnesota. The State Auditor is charged with overseeing more than $20 billion spent annually by local governments in Minnesota...
.
O'Brien had four daughters and one stepdaughter; he was married twice. He died in 2007.