John T. Gavigan is Executive Director for 43North, a leading organization in building a culture of entrepreneurship in Western New York. Annually, 43North awards $5 million to innovative entrepreneurs and startups from around the globe, provides incubation and mentorship programs to its winners and coordinates various inclusive entrepreneurial programs for the WNY region including Students to Startups, Think Big and The Pitch. 

John is an Amherst native with 20-plus years of business development, marketing, fundraising and team building experience. He grew up in a family-owned business, has served in various leadership roles at Xerox and Eastern Managed Print Network, and was a Partner at Xerographic Solutions, which he and his partner sold to Xerox in 2011. He co-founded Discover Buffalo Niagara Calendars with his brother in 1999, helped launch Eden Interiors design firm with his wife and her two partners in 2002 and co-founded My Digital Office in 2008. He has served on various boards including Buffalo Renaissance Foundation, The Summit Center, Buffalo Museum of Science & Tifft Nature Preserve. 

An Allentown resident, John is a Buffalonian through and through, and a proud graduate from St Joes in 1989, Binghamton University School of Management in 1993 and Canisius College MBA in 2001. When he is not promoting the Buffalo renaissance and working on 43North, you'll find him skiing, preparing for endurance events, traveling and enjoying an occasional game of backgammon. While his work for the community means so much to John, his sons Miles and Max take center stage in his life.