Outside of his practice of law, John is an avid traveler and is actively involved in supporting not just his local community but also the areas to where he has traveled. Locally, John is a former Chairman of the KCMBA Solo/Small Firm Committee and was recently honored with the 2011 KCMBA Solo Practitioner/Small Firm Lawyer of Distinction Award. He has been instrumental in the development of the UMKC School of Law’s Solo/Small Firm Incubator Program and sits on the Incubator Admissions Committee. He also chairs the UMKC Law Foundation Solo/Small Firm Committee which is responsible for raising money and obtaining sponsorships for UMKC School of Law students to attend the annual Missouri Bar Solo/Small Firm Conference.

John became a member of the Galapagos Conservancy after a trip to the Galapagos Islands in 2007. The Galapagos Conservancy was formed to advance and support the conservation of the unique biodiversity and ecosystems of the Galapagos Archipelago through directed research, informed public policy and building a sustainable society. A trip to Uganda and Rwanda in 2008 to see and photograph critically endangered mountain gorillas and golden monkeys led to John’s support of the Uganda Wildlife Authority’s conservation efforts.