Mike Bender co-founded Image Products, Inc. in 1995 along with his wife, Bridget. Mike serves as Chief Executive Officer and maintains an active role in new product development. He has created such successful programs such as GIFT, My Rewards, and Get Fit Now America.

In 1999, Mike proposed the idea of a turnkey exercise incentive program to BlueCross and BlueShield of North Carolina. Today, that program, also known as Get Fit Now America, is viewed as the industry standard and used by insurance companies in 20 states. In 2005, Mike decided to re-apply this strategy to the financial industry and My Rewards was born. Today, My Rewards is the fastest growing rewards program of its kind.

Prior to Image Products, Mike directed the product development, in-house manufacturing, distribution, company store development, and catalog production for the logo programs of Piper Aircraft, Cessna Aircraft, Piedmont Airlines and numerous other smaller companies.

Mike Bender attended the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He and Bridget have one son, Carr.