Michael O’Connor grew up in Eustis, Florida, an area that nourished his love of the outdoors. With a PhD in Geology, Michael spent 14 years teaching in North Carolina, before venturing into the entrepreneurial world of garnet mining and processing. His experiences in business led him into private consulting in the area of small business improvement, working out of Maine and then Ireland, before moving to New Mexico and establishing Casitas de Gila Guesthouses with his wife, Becky.