John R. Laughlin joins Phoenix after successful careers as an attorney, entrepreneur, and venture capitalist. He graduated with honors from Princeton University and from the University of Michigan Law School, where he was awarded both Ford Foundation and Fullbright Fellowships to study international corporate finance in Belgium. After practicing law at Pillsbury, Madison & Sutro in San Francisco, Mr. Laughlin founded (in rapid succession) a computer services firm, a computer hardware manufacturing company, and a trade show and convention services business. He was named Maryland's "Entrepreneur of the Year" by the U.S. Small Business Administration in 1981. A venture capital investor since 1994, John specialized in service businesses, particularly those in the educational and entertainment business.