John P. Shoffner

John’s professional career led him to the forefront of the fiber optic telecommunications industry at its earliest stages. He formed Dura-Line Corporation, developing and patenting multiple processes for materials and methods for the placement of fiber optic cable during the 1980’s. As the use of fiber cable to replace copper networks spread around the world, John took the company into each new developing market. First to Europe and then the emerging new economies of eastern Europe, India and China. The company became a world leader with operations in nine countries and remains a world market leader today.Aviation, space and science have served as primary interests throughout John’s life. At 8-years-old, when the space race was getting underway, John formed a young astronauts club with friends in his hometown of Middlesboro, KY, closely following the missions of Gemini and Apollo. His early interests also extended to amateur radio and photography, getting his ham license building his first radios at 14 and operating a darkroom in his parent’s basement.John has been a pilot since 17, with more than 8,500 flight hours. He is a veteran of airshows for more than 25 years and holds ratings in commercial, instrument, single-engine, multi-engine, land and sea aircraft including ex-military jets and high-performance radial engine aircraft and helicopters.John is a lifetime athlete, with many years competing in cycling, white water kayaking, waterskiing, hang gliding, skydiving, base jumping and motorsports and has cycled solo and unsupported across the US in 18 days.John met his wife, Janine, skydiving in 1999 and the pair went on to make over 4000 skydives and base jumps together. In 2012 they formed J2-Racing, a European based endurance motorsports team. J2 Racing had many class wins and podium finishes in the Porsche Carrera class and with Mercedes AMG in GT3 class in the Nürburgring VLN (NLS) endurance series, the ADAC Nürburgring 24hour and the GT Open International series across Europe.In May 2023 John flew as the Mission Pilot of Axiom Space Ax-2 aboard the SpaceX Dragon flight to the International Space Station. Aboard the ISS, John participated in multiple science and research projects and produced a series of direct classroom broadcasts to STEM students around the world.On his return from space, John founded the Perseid Foundation which supports project-based learning and STEM education development in schools across the Appalachian region. John’s early interest in space, science and human performance now drives his understanding that our early developmental interests are primary to our finding a central theme to living a fulfilled life and that a STEM based education can be an effective tool to bring forth our most potent self.John’s core principles lay in finding and facing key personal challenges that require ultimate dedication and preparation for success. He believes we learn most about ourselves through personal challenge and high risk and it is incumbent on each of us to explore our limits in all domains, whether sporting, intellectual, creative or socially supportive.John and his wife live near Knoxville, TN. Janine is an equine and toxon competitor and John pursues fitness in multiple sports and still enjoys ham radio and astro photography.