In 1928 Jay O’Brien was head of the bobsled committee which was asked to select a team to compete at St. Moritz. O’Brien was faced with the problem of having no course in the United States on which to hold the tryouts so he selected the team among Americans who were in Europe at the time. O’Brien himself rode as a brakeman on the second place sled that year and returned four years later to add a gold medal. O’Brien was an investment banker and real estate broker, with holdings in both New York and Palm Beach. He was married three times, once to Mae Murray silent screen star; next to Irene Fenwick, another well-known actress; and lastly to Julie Fleischmann, heir to the Fleischmann Company fortune.