John, 49, is a veteran software CEO who has created several Ottawa tech startups, including Killdara Corp (1999) and Hyla Corp. (2003), with clients that included Intel, EDS, Royal Bank, and others. He received his Engineering degree from Carleton and is teaching seminars this fall at Carleton's Sprott School of Business on new product design and launch. He currently runs the Bifrost Group, a tech and business consulting firm, with customers in Canada and Asia.

John has lived in Lanark County since 1989, with excursions to San Francisco and Montreal. He has been involved with community organizations as Cub/Scoutmaster, soccer coach, youth volunteer and corporate sponsor. John organized the Lanark County tech incubator “TechLanark.”

He lives in a 150-year-old house in Almonte with his family, which includes a teenage son and daughter. He plays league soccer with enthusiasm, but little skill, and can put his foot in his mouth in English, French and Spanish. He has been described by local media as 'frank and funny' and 'outspoken'. John and his projects have been profiled by the Ottawa Citizen, Report on Business TV, Ottawa Business Journal, Ottawa Sun, and National Post.Frank de Jong