The members of the OCA Ventures team have a passion for building early-stage companies into market leaders, have long histories working with one another, and share common core personal and professional beliefs, while at the same time contributing different skills and perspectives.
This cohesive group has close business and personal relationships dating back more than 25 years. John Dugan, Peter Ianello and Marc Berman were partners in the 1980s when they led O’Connor & Associates. Jim Dugan is John Dugan’s third son, Jason Heltzer joined the team in 2001, Joe Dwyer joined in 2009, David Zyer joined in 2009 and Gabe Greenbaum joined in 2011.
John Kernan -
As an experienced CEO and Corporate Director, John has been
instrumental in the successes of a host of computer software and
internet businesses.
John built Lightspan (NASDAQ: LSPN) from a start-up to a $50+ million
revenue public company before merging it with Plato Learning (NASDAQ:
TUTR). Previously, John founded Jostens Learning Corporation which he
built from the ground up into the nation's largest education software
business with revenues in excess of $200 million.
Specializing in corporate development including startups, mergers,
acquisitions, and divestitures, John also helped build Elemental
Software (now part of Adobe Systems Incorporated), and helped to create
Gill Management Services (now CSG Systems). John serves as a director
and investor on a number of other notable public and private internet
software companies, including Varsity Group, Inc.
At the office we enjoy asking him for rides in his classic cars. John also has a great dog named Bob and a real Greyhound bus.