John Alexander

John Alexander (AB ’74, MBA ’76) founded The CBORD Group Inc., a Computer systems development and integration firm based in Ithaca, NY.

CBORD is the world’s leading provider of campus and cashless card systems, food and nutrition service management software, nationwide student discount and off-campus commerce programs, housing and judicial process management software, as well as integrated security solutions. He started the company while a student at Cornell in 1975 and sold it in 2008.

He also co-founded Coyote Loco, a Mexican restaurant in Ithaca, which he managed for 12 years with his wife Elaine and two partners.

He serves on the advisory councils of the Entrepreneurship@Cornell (E@C) Program and the Johnson School and has served as an alumni advisor to the Johnson Board Fellows program and BR Consulting. He has also served on the community advisory board of the Johnson Art Museum. He was the 1987-88 Dorothy M. Proud Lecturer at Cornell’s Division of Nutritional Sciences and is a member of the executive committee of the Sphinx Head Society, Cornell’s first undergraduate honor society.

John is a trustee emeritus and a Presidential Councillor at Cornell. He has served on the boards of the Food Bank of the Southern Tier, United Way of Tompkins County, The Children’s Reading Connection, Tompkins Financial Corporation (TMP), and numerous private company boards. He is a charter member of the Cayuga Venture Fund and the Red Bear Angels, which support multiple startups that grow out of Cornell. Ernst and Young selected Mr. Alexander as the Upstate New York Technology Entrepreneur of the Year in 2002, and Cornell selected Alexander as its 2012 Entrepreneur of the Year.

John spends half the year in Ithaca and New York City, and the other half in beautiful Malinalco Mexico.