Staff

John C. Draper
John C. Draper is the President and Director of the First Flight Venture Center (FFVC). John is an attorney with over 25 years of experience as an entrepreneur and private equity investor.

Prior to being named President and Director of FFVC, John served as Chief Financial Officer and Director of Operations for the North Carolina Technological Development Authority. Inc.

John worked as a venture capital consultant for Kestrel Venture Management (a private equity investment firm that was a successor to Corning Venture Management). While consulting for Kestrel, he developed a business plan and restructured a troubled company in Kestrel's portfolio.

John founded Runtal North America, Inc., a startup company supplying cosmetically attractive architecturally engineered radiators to the construction industry. Over an eight-year period, as CEO and President of Runtal, John installed financial controls and database systems, raised three rounds of financing and negotiated the sale of the business, bringing a significant return to company investors. John's experience also includes work at the Division of Sponsored Research at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology where he reviewed technology for patentable innovations.

John received a JD from the University of Cincinnati and a BA from Ohio Wesleyan University.

Megan Henry
Megan Henry is the Office Manager for the First Flight Venture Center. Megan serves as the central contact for the tenant companies within the First Flight Venture Center and coordinates the day-to-day operations of the incubator. She assists the director of FFVC in facility management projects and provides support to the tenant companies housed in the incubator.

Megan received a B.S. degree in Business, with a concentration in Human Resources, from North Carolina State University.