Jonathan O’Connor, a Dublin native, shares his experience about how life in Atlanta, Georgia, differs vastly from Ireland. With the lack of pedestrian culture and public transport, he jokes about the family owning six cars – one for each child and even one for the dog, who has mobility issues and requires a lower car.
Having studied in the Institute of Education and later earning an accounting degree at Portobello College in 1995, Jonathan started out working in the mortgage department of TSB Bank. Feeling unfulfilled, he left and worked in London with JP Morgan’s foreign exchange middle market where he began to observe the rise of technology in banking.
He then moved back to Ireland and completed a master’s degree in IT for strategic management at Staffordshire University, implemented at the then-known DIT Kevin Street. Following this, he worked at Kindle Banking Systems, a company in Dublin that provided banking software to developing countries.
Travel was integral to his work, taking him to Haiti and Warsaw in quick succession, installing a banking system despite little knowledge. His subsequent assignment involved setting up Y2K upgrades across nine African countries, an amusing situation as he relates about Irish people in formal attire roaming around with floppy discs.
His next crucial career moment, however, had nothing to do with banking. On a return trip to Dublin during his African tour, he met Susan, his now wife, at the office. He fondly recalls how his persuasion to get her to marry him was the most successful sales pitch he’s made.
Taking up a role at EuroConex in 2001, which was later renamed as Elavon and was an established employer in Arklow and Dublin, Jonathan’s career took him next to First Data where he led ecommerce for UK and Europe from 2006 till 2012.
Eventually, he was asked by the CEO to move to the company’s headquarters in Atlanta. He worked there until 2018 as a senior VP of institutional sales in the subsequently renamed company, Fiserv. With an interest in cryptocurrency and emerging markets, he decided to take up the position of chief commercial officer at Trust Payments, a role that involved significant commuting to UK and Malta.
Until 2023, he was fully active until everything came to a halt abruptly. He reminisces how his mind often turned a blind eye to his body, until his sudden diagnosis revealed the existence of a rare spinal cancer. He complains about missing his native Irish cuisine but appreciates the outdoor way of life prevailing here, that his trio of children immensely enjoy.
His era of globetrotting for work was over, subsequently spending the following year undergoing multiple surgeries and a pricey but specific therapeutic method termed proton radiation. His international commuting days were done.
“Medical treatments in America, although costly, are unparalleled if you are insured. Amusingly, my surgeon had undergone training in neurosurgery at Beaumont Hospital as a specialist registrar, making it easier to form a bond.” He emphasizes the significance of having health insurance here. “Here, even our pet dog has his health plan and a targeted weight to achieve every quarter of the year.”
In March 2024, O’Connor embarked on his journey with Synovus Bank as a divisional chief executive of the merchant sponsorship and a division titled Maast. He sheds light on networking as a key step in his career progression and the beneficial associations he fostered at the Irish Hibernian Society. He actively participated in fundraising activities for the St Patricks Day Ball in Atlanta.
He also holds positions in two fintech boards in Atlanta. One of these boards being the American Transaction Processors Coalition (ATPC), recently leveraged a college football game between Florida State and Georgia Tech at the Aviva Stadium. This was done with the intent to combine fintech and sports to form connections between Dublin and Atlanta.
“After turning 50, I find gratification in mentoring and knowledge sharing. I like guiding young graduates and have reduced my work hours from a 16-hour day to under ten.”
“Atlanta is quite a nomadic city. The US, though, provides myriad possibilities. In the business realm, failures are viewed as stepping stones to success. Regarding lifestyle, America offers a different experience. Living in the scorching southern region, my family misses Irish food, but enjoys the benefits of an outdoorsy lifestyle. My children, who are attending colleges in three different states, consider themselves Americans.”
O’Connor owns an additional property in Rosemary Beach, Florida, situated on the Gulf of Mexico. This spot is both his holiday retreat and a vacation letting managed by his spouse. “One current challenge we face as we age, however, is the simultaneous aging of our parents which is presently a tough aspect of life,” he noted.