Throughout his career, John Kelly has been an innovator in the Canadian high-technology industry. An entrepreneur and business builder, John has served in a number of senior executive positions with leading companies across the entire spectrum of technology products and services.
In 1974, John was a founder of SHL Systemhouse, one of Canada’s earliest system integration companies, and served as its Vice-president and Chief Operating Officer until 1980. John was subsequently the founder and CEO of Nabu, a pioneering cable-based software and information distributor, and of Why Interactive, Canada’s first interactive multimedia development company.
From 1995 until 1999, John was President and CEO of JetForm. Under his leadership the company grew to a position as a global leader in e-process software solutions, with revenues of $100 million. A Reid Eddison partner since 1999, John served from 2002 until 2007 as Chairman of NexInnovations, Canada’s largest independent computer distributor.
John’s extensive business accomplishments have been recognized by numerous awards, including Ottawa High Technology Citizen of the Year, Ontario Master Entrepreneur of the Year, Ottawa Business Journal’s most respected CEO, and Ottawa Business Man of the Year.
John has served on the boards of many technology companies from coast to coast, and has been a past Chair and current Co-Chair of the Canadian Advanced Technology Association (CATA) and past Chair of Innovators Alliance. He is also a board member for numerous private, public, and not-for-profit organizations, was on the Advisory Board of Memorial University’s Chair in Youth-Focused Technological Entrepreneurship and is past Chair of the Dean’s Advisory Board of the School of Management at the University of Ottawa. He is Chair of the Board of Governors of Ashbury College.
John is also very active as a community builder, was honoured in 2000 as Ottawa volunteer fund raiser of the year by the National Society of Fund Raising Executives, and has chaired Leadership Giving for the United Way since 2001.
John holds an honours law degree and an honourary doctorate from the University of Ottawa, and an honours BBA degree from Iona College in New Rochelle, New York.
