John is a founding director and board member of Rethink Ireland and serves on the select grant-making committee of the Board. He is an avid Mayo football fan and a former CEO of the Retirement Planning Council of Ireland. He now manages his own company Retirement Life Limited. He has also well known in the community development sector and chairs the company, JH Public Affairs Limited, which is involved in this sector. He is the author of many publications regarding social enterprise development. In this regard, he chairs the €8million Bealach Nua project is establishing a design and studio facility in Ballaghaderreen to serve the digital creative sector in the Western Region.

A former primary teacher, John worked in regional development and was CEO of the Western Development Board and Commission; later he worked as general secretary of the Progressive Democrats Party. John holds a Masters in Communications; a Degree in Economics; and Diplomas in Accounting and Finance and in Life Coaching.