John has been the CEO of several early stage companies including two in which he had a founder’s role. He also led and became the CEO of an LBO of an engineering/distribution company that was subsequently acquired by a large European public company. His prior experience includes a six-year period with McKinsey & Company, Inc. In 1988 he established Avalon Capital to serve as a platform for his consulting activities and his personal investing in early stage companies. Since then consulting to and investing in seed or early stage companies has been his primary activity. As an “angel investor” he has invested in over fifty such companies, more than thirty of which are still active. He is directly involved with some of these companies as either a board member or in an advisory role. John has a BSIE from Stanford University, a Master of Business Administration degree from Harvard Graduate School of Business and has completed the course work for is a Ph.D. Candidate in Strategic Management at the Peter F. Drucker Graduate Management Center, Claremont Graduate School. He is also one of the founders of the Tech Coast Angels and remains active in that organization.