After graduating from the University of Tennessee with a degree in finance, John joined PepsiCo. He began his PepsiCo career working third shift making Grandma’s cookies. He rose through the sales and marketing ranks before becoming Vice Chairman and President of Frito-Lay North America. In addition, he served as Chief Executive Officer of PepsiCo North America, to include Pepsi Beverages, Frito-Lay, and Quaker Foods. He later went on to serve as PepsiCo’s Global President before leaving after a thirty-year career. He joined the private equity firm Clayton, Dubilier & Rice in 2013 and became a partner. He currently serves as the chair of four portfolio companies. CD&R is one of the largest buyout firms in the world.
John serves on the Board of Directors for First Horizon National Corporation, where he chairs the Nominating and Governance Committee. He previously served on the Board of Directors of the Pepsi Bottling Group.
In 2018, he joined the Board of Trustees for the University of Tennessee, where he was elected Chair of the Board. He has served in that capacity for the past six years. He has been awarded the University’s highest alumni honor—the Torchbearer award.
John has been married to his wife, Cindy, for thirty-three years. They have three children and two grandchildren and have made their home in Knoxville, TN.