Board of Directors
John Burke
Partner
True Ventures
John’s passion for building and growing companies began 20 years ago during his days as an engineer for a startup in Oakland, California. As the fourth employee, it was as clear to him then as it is now that it is all about the team. The guiding principle of team has stayed with him throughout his career – first on the programming team in California, then as an engineer for Bechtel Power in San Francisco, and ultimately as a venture investor. However, nowhere was the team principle more important to him than when he started his software company.
John lived through the balancing act of building his own company at BMI Software. There, the constant challenges of deciding who to hire and when to hire them, who to partner with and (of equal importance) who not to partner with fostered essential values that he carries with him today. The overarching importance of working with the right team has been seared into John’s professional life and investing philosophy. For a startup, there are no more important decisions than partnering – whether in business development, selecting the right venture investor, or hiring and firing employees. Having lived through those decisions and having made the mistakes that can be so painful, John is able to guide his portfolio companies through the difficult times with a deftness that only those years of operating experience bring.
Equally important as partners and employees of a startup are the partners in a venture firm. Phil Black and John Burke have been partners since 1999, when they both joined ABS Ventures. Having worked together that long, there is an implicit trust that only years together can build. Phil Black and Jon Callaghan have either worked together or invested together for almost 15 years. These bonds that hold the True partnership together have taken years to forge, and the results of which are evident in the partner interaction and woven into the fabric of the firm.
Degrees
- BS degree in Mechanical Engineering from U.C. Berkeley
- BA degree in Economics from U.C. Santa Cruz
- MBA degree from Harvard Business School
Philip Shou, Ph.D.
Chairman & CEO
Pro Brand International, Inc.
Dr. Shou, is the Chairman/CEO of Pro Brand International, Inc., a major supplier of antenna and electronics to DIRECTV, Dish Network and other companies in the satellite industry. He is also on the Board of Directors of Prime Electronics (Taiwan), AccFast Technology (Taiwan) and Rainbow Global Semiconductor, Corp. (Boston).
From 1979 to 1982, he was an adjunct professor/research scientist of College of William and Mary. He graduated from U.C. San Diego in 1979 with a Ph.D. in Oceanography.
