Behind the organization of FIRST stands thousands of amazing people. While we can only recognize a few on this page, there are so many others that have also brought FIRST to where it is today. But here, we have a few summaries on the well-known Masterminds of FIRST.
 Dean Kamen
Dean Kamen is an avid inventor. He was inspired to make a medical invention by listening to his brother’s complaints about the inaccuracy of drug delivering, and designed a portable fusion pump. Afterwards, he went on to make a compact dialysis machine. His inventions continued with a wheelchair, called the Ibot transporter, which allows wheelchair based individuals to climb stairs or street curbs without issue.
The FIRST program is one of the things he is most well known for. He decided to start the program (1989) after realizing how few teenagers wanted to grow up and get into science related careers. By bringing the program to high schools all across America (and beyond it), many teens everywhere are wanting to get themselves involved in engineering careers even if they never even considered engineering as a profession. The program is also meant to get teens to experience real life scenarios: deadlines, how to solve problems efficiently, how to work as a team. He is also the founder of the DEKA Research and Development Corporation.
Dr. Woodie Flowers
A professor of mechanical engineering at MIT and Vice Chairman of FIRST, Woodie Flowers brought a very important aspect to the world of FIRST: Gracious Professionalism. Gracious Professionalism is the core of FIRST belief: that a person can be both competitive, and respecting towards their opponent at the same time.
Woodie Flowers was the first recipient of what would be known as the 'Woddie Flowers Award'. This award is given to a mentor on a team who has made outstanding contributions to the students on the team.
Dave Lavery
Dave Lavery is the Program for Solar System Exploration at NASA. His participation at FIRST involves being a mentor for team 116, and is a member of the game design committee.
The NASA program sponsors FIRST teams by giving grants to High School teams, helping them get to competitions (why we went to New Orleans in 2007).
 John Abele
A four year Chairman of FIRST, John Abele is a physics and philosophy graduate ofAmherst College. His interests revolve around medicine and medical technology, and how it can be improved (amongst other things).
In 1969 he helped develop the steerable catheter, which was a stepping stone for surgery alternatives. He is also a retired Founder Chairman of Boston Scientific Corporation. In 2006 he was ranked number 258 of the world’s richest people.
 Paul Gudonis
The President of FIRST, Paul Gudonis helped launch the first cell phone company. He’s the president and CEO of Centra Software Inc., (which provides software for internet classes) and he is also currently the Chairman of the Massachusetts High Technology Council.
He’s a member of TechNet, a group focusing on increasing the number of science and engineering graduates, which is similar to the ideas behind FIRST.
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