John Thornton

Thornton helped change the financial model for sustainable local journalism when, in 2009, he founded The Texas Tribune, a member-supported, digital-only, nonpartisan media organization.died on Saturday March 30 2025 in Austin, Texas. He was 59. His death, by suicide, followed a long mental health struggle John Thornton joined Austin Ventures in 1991 and serves as General Partner. His investment focus is in the early-stage software sector. Previously, John was with McKinsey & Co., where he served clients in the U.S. and Europe. John received his MBA from the Stanford Graduate School of Business, and his BA summa cum laude from Trinity University, where he graduated first in his class. He previously served on the Boards of Directors for Ballet Austin, the Austin Museum of Art, and the Harry Ransom Center at the University of Texas. He is a founding board member of the Entrepreneurs Foundation of Central Texas and a former trustee of Trinity University. In 2009, John founded the Texas Tribune, the nation’s first statewide nonprofit and nonpartisan online news organization. By the time Thornton stepped down from The Tribune board in 2022, the organization had raised about $120 million from individuals, foundations and corporations. Thornton is survived by his wife, Erin Thornton, whom he married in 2019, and his stepsons, Wyatt and Wade Driscoll. His marriage to Julie Blakeslee ended in divorce in 2010.