In the Community

I’m dedicated to supporting the communities I live and work in. I’m mindful of promoting local business, helping non profits, advocating for the disenfranchised, supporting our region, elevating design and the next generation of talent.

I’m a founding executive board member of the recently formed AIGA Asheville, serving as treasurer. I’m a board member emeritus of the Asheville Affiliates. I’m also on the organizing team of Creative Mornings AVL.

I’ve served as president of a high performance  business networking group and on a Main Streets Design Review Committee. I am ever grateful for the help of many generous mentors from my family to my teachers to my managers, colleagues and staff. With their support, I’ve evolved from an awkward introvert to a top performing salesperson, entrepreneur and team leader. I’m humbled my hard work has led to being a recognized leader in signs and graphics. 

I participated in the 2018 Make A Mark Asheville event benefiting the Asheville nonprofit community. Here is a cool video about that. I participated in the 2019 one as well.

I have had many community based practices over the years from music, to art, to yoga, meditation, hiking our beautiful mountains and martial arts at Sun Soo Martial Arts which is an amazing community within itself.

I never attended college other than a Spanish class at JHU. But I’ve hired, trained and had to let go a lot of folks who went to the fancy art school to which I was accepted, but couldn’t afford to attend. No student debt. Hands on learning through private mentor ship, on the job training, reading and practicing a ton. I surround myself with people better and smarter than me. I have a never ending thirst for learning and questioning everything. There is more than one path to success than the one society and well meaning advisers map out for you.

To live a life in which I have made a difference and left the world a little better than I found it, to learn to love and be loved, to learn to find the good in every challenge, that is my measure of success.

John is also a proud supporter of the following nonprofit, environmental or positive social impact organizations: