Some of the Points David and Craig Discussed

People today are wedded to their cell phones – for many cell phones have replaced agendas and watches, next they will replace wallets. In the U.S., there are more than 200 million users of cell phones.

Obopay is a convenient, fast and secure way to send money to anyone in the U.S with a text message. Anyone with any mobile phone can or Web access can use the service for less than the cost of a stamp.

While Obopay is a must-have for anyone with a cell-phone, it’s perfect for people planning road-trips to avoid unnecessary stops at banks, splitting hotels/meals/gas, and giving a loved one back home money.

Also Obopay’s Family Account is a great way for parents to help distribute allowance or travel money to kids by text message to a prepaid debit card that the kids can use immediately. Perfect for kids away from home at summer camp or on school trips. An added bonus is that parents can track the payments and begin to have discussions about fiscal responsibility.

About David

David Schwartz is the Senior Director of Product Management & Marketing with Obopay, Inc.. David helped to lead the definition of Obopay’s mobile payment service for initial market launch and through the product lifecycle of multiple successive versions. He is currently responsible for all product marketing initiatives at Obopay.

David brings to Obopay 13 years of experience in the mobile applications and telecommunications industries in various marketing and product management roles, and as an industry analyst. Most recently David was with Persona Software (formerly LongBoard), a company in the mobile applications market, where he served as their Director of Marketing and Product Management. Previously, David also served as the Director of Marketing and Business & Product Planning with Clarent Corporation, a company in the Voice over IP market.

  Prior to Clarent, David was a Sr. Analyst with Gartner Group. At Gartner he covered Next Generation Networks, Internet Infrastructure and the Latin American Telecommunications markets. David also served as an Industry Analyst with Frost & Sullivan, and as a Private Consultant for some of the largest companies in the telecommunications industry. During his time as an industry analyst David was quoted widely in the media.

  David earned his bachelor’s degree from California State University, Chico, and his MBA from Thunderbird, the Garvin School of International Management. David lives in San Francisco and likes to spend his free time traveling and exploring new cultures with his wife Laura. When he is not at work, or on the road, he has been spending his time undertaking a house remodel.

About Obopay

Obopay is the first truly comprehensive mobile payment service in the United States. That means we're the only service that lets you instantly get, send and spend money anywhere, anytime with anyone.  With Obopay you can instantly pay back a friend, split a dinner bill, get money from your parents, get quick cash, pay up or collect on a friendly wager, track purchases, check your balance, and much, much more. And, you can do it all from your phone; anywhere, anytime with anyone.

Obopay is not your ordinary brainchild. It didn't happen in a conference room or during a grueling brainstorming session. The concept for Obopay happened while Carol Realini, Obopay's founder and CEO, was doing volunteer work in Africa. It was there she observed an interesting phenomenon: people living in some of the most remote corners of the world carried a mobile phone even if they didn't carry a wallet. Combining the two seemed like an ideal marriage of empowerment and convenience. And that's when the idea for Obopay was born. Returning to the U. S. she saw incredible opportunities within the ever-growing mobile youth market. Although Carol had not planned on rejoining the work force after a three decade run as a successful entrepreneur, her passion for this new idea changed her mind. She pulled together an all-star team of seasoned mobile and financial professionals, raised venture capital and successfully launched Obopay in 2005.