John was born and raised on his family farm near LaMoille, IL, and knew from the age of 6 he would be a farmer. He attended Illinois Valley Community College and has continued learning through various professional development and continuous education programs. He has been involved with the Bureau County Farm Bureau and the Illinois Soybean Association. John is a 2003 graduate of the Illinois Farm Bureau ALOT program. Professionally, John has more than 30 years experience in the farm and agribusiness world. He has held a commercial spray applicators license for 30 years and has more recently obtained a Real Estate Managing brokers license. As a Hefty team member, John brings practical agronomy knowledge and a sincere desire to help farmers grow.

John enjoys spending time with his grown children Lauren, Layne and Paul. His other interests include a diverse garden and landscaping, riding his Harley Davidson and a growing collection of farm toys.