John Engelhardt
Great minds never stop challenging themselves. Where would we be if Thomas Edison gave up after inventing the phonograph, the invention that first gained him fame? What if Pablo Picasso, who began as a realist painter, never experimented with abstraction?
John Engelhardt is a lifelong learner. In a time where it seems most adults abandon the quest for knowledge after being handed a diploma or establishing a reputation in a career, he's an anomaly. He's constantly exploring and discovering, questioning the status quo, and embracing the new. John is not the kind of guy who passes up an opportunity to grow.
While driving three hours daily to his last job, he decided the most productive use of his time would be listening to podcasts from top universities. He has since completed more than 25 courses in psychology, cognitive science, history, geography and economics. Recently, John has developed a strong interest in alternative medicine, yoga and Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR), a form of meditation based on ancient healing practices. John has a love for music, old and new, and is especially inspired by today's indie songwriters. He enjoys karaoke and soon plans to write his own songs while learning to play his new guitar. John's short list of future challenges includes archery, kayaking, glider flying, tai chi and teaching. He loves good food and is eager to get involved in Portland's sustainable food movement.
John's drive to challenge himself and master new skills also applies to his career, as its remarkable diversity shows. He started out as an ocean engineer. While serving as a senior advisor to the Department of Defense and State Department, he was able to provide important insights, which ultimately influenced naval policies on submarine design and arms control. He went on to M.I.T. to earn a business degree and became a business technology executive, gaining more than 20 years of experience in the pharmaceutical, consumer healthcare, financial services, energy, and higher education industries. A visionary and a capable and trustworthy guide, John is excellent at helping organizations navigate through the waters of complex change and leading large-scale projects involving process redesign, strategy development, organizational redesign, architectural design, and legal compliance.
John earned his M.B.A. from Massachusetts Institute of Technology, his M.A. in national security affairs from Georgetown University, and his B.S. in engineering and management from Vanderbilt University. He relocated to Portland, Oregon from Bronxville, New York for a whole new adventure with his wife and son.
