image001.jpg (201831 bytes)John was born at Lakewood, Ohio on September 12, 1951. He graduated from Ohio Wesleyan University (BA Psychology 1973 Magna Cum Lauide, Phi Beta Kappa), Cleveland State University (MBA Quantitative Business Analysis 1976) and Columbia Pacific University (Ph.D. 1988 Computer Science) and has also attended the Université de Lausanne, the University of Chicago, Kent State University, Cleveland-Marshall College of Law and Lorain County Community College. He lived for over a year in Lausanne, Switzerland 1971-72, attending the Université de Lausanne to study French and Biblical Hebrew. He has also studied Old Babylonian, Classical Greek, Old English and Sanskrit.

 

He was a Senior Data Systems Auditor for National City Corporation (1978-81), a Senior CICS Systems Programmer for Standard Oil (1981-84) and a Advisory Systems Engineer at IBM (1984-93) prior to taking a buyout and founding Semiotica Corporation (custom software development).

 

 

He holds several certifications including the CISA (Certified Information Systems Auditor) and the CCP (Certified Computing Professional), having served on the editorial council for that examination (Institute for Certification of Computing Professionals) since 1989 and has served as their Director of Certification since 1999. Other certifications include the CDP (Certified Data Processor), CSP (Certified Systems Professional), the old CCP (Certified Computer Programmer) and several others attained more recently through Brainbench. He is also Past Chairman of the Greater Cleveland Chapter of the Association for Computing Machinery (ACM), having received their Service Recognition Award in 1984. He is a member of the ACM and the Independent Computer Consultants' Association and is listed in several Who's Who volumes.

 

His Blue Lodge affiliations are Clifton - Gaston Allen Lodge #664 (PM), Livermore Lodge #186 (KY) and the Cleveland Memorial Lodge. His other Masonic affiliations include Scottish Rite Valley of Cleveland (Master of Ceremonies for Lake Erie Consistory), Senior DeMolay Mark Master Lodge #2 (PRWM), Cunningham Chapter #187 RAM (PHP), Lakewood Council #125 R&SM (PIM), Holy Grail Commandery #70 KT (SW),  Fowler Court #64 KM, Royal Order of Scotland, Ann Rutledge Chapter #453 OES (WP, 3xPP), Temple Court #7 OA, Justice Council UD TK, Southern California Research Lodge #1005, Philalethes Society, the Quatuor Coronati Lodge #2076 UGLE Correspondence Circle and Clarence E. O'Neal Council #53 AMD. He was a member of Lakewood DeMolay in his youth and later served as Chairman of their Advisory Council for six years. He was honored to have been made a Chevalier. He served the Grand Lodge of Ohio as DEO (2001-2) and was appointed DDGM by MWB William P. Mayberry in 2002.

 

He has completed the following Masonic education courses:  Grand Lodge of Ohio: Series IV, Series V, WILL (Wardens' Introduction to Lodge Leadership), TELL (The Excellent Lodge Leader), several Pillars classes. Grand Chapter of Royal Arch Masons: Series I and II. Grand Council Resource Course.

 

John has also been editor of the Clifton - Gaston Allen Light since 1994. He comes from a very Masonic family in that his mother was 1975 Worthy Grand Matron OES for the State of Ohio, being Past Matron of Lincoln Chapter #309 OES and his father was a member of Livermore Lodge #186 (KY), Cunningham Chapter #187 RAM (PHP), Lakewood Council #125 R&SM, Holy Grail Commandery #70 KT (PEC), Scottish Rite Valley of Cleveland, Al Koran Shrine and Lincoln Chapter #309 OES (PP). Several cousins, uncles and grandparents over several generations were / are also Masons and his son, John III is a Past master Councilor of Lakewood DeMolay

 

John is a member of Westshore Unitarian Universalist Church.