PERSON: Patrick Byrne

Overstock.com

CEO

Patrick M. Byrne (born 1962, Fort Wayne, Indiana,) is an American entrepreneur, e-commerce pioneer and CEO of Overstock.com. In 1999, Byrne launched Overstock, after leading two smaller companies, including one owned by Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway.

In 2002, Byrne took Overstock.com public. Since its initial public offering, Overstock.com has increased revenue to almost $1.8 billion, while achieving profitability in 2009

In 2005, Byrne become known for his campaign against illegal naked short selling. Byrne and securities regulators maintain illegal naked shorting has been used in violation of securities law to distort prices of public companies’ stock. Under his direction, Overstock.com filed two lawsuits alleging improper acts by Wall Street firms, a hedge fund, and an independent research firm. In each case the defendants have settled with Overstock out of court.

More recently, Byrne has advocated for cryptocurrencies such as bitcoin. In January 2014, Overstock.com became the first major online retailer to accept bitcoin.

Byrne took an indefinite leave of absence from Overstock.com in April 2016 because of Hepatitis C complications. Byrne returned in July 2016 as CEO after Hepatitis C recovery.

— Wikipedia