Led by a Business Operator, Not an AI Theorist
Most AI consultants come from tech and try to learn business. I came from business first.
Forty years of operating experience across seventeen industries, including 500% revenue growth as President and COO of Wilson Lumber and 450% as President of AllTemp Windows. Today I serve as interim CEO and Chairman of the Board of Tara Manufacturing, so this is not advice from the sidelines. I understand leadership, operational pressure, and what actually creates business value because I am still living it. That perspective shapes how AIGP approaches AI: start with the business problem, then use AI where it can create practical value.
About John
Three-time C12 Member of the Year. Baylor Division I athlete. Called the “Ultimate Buffalo” by C12 CEO Mike Sharrow, the buffalo that runs into the storm to get through it faster.
I have spent my career leading businesses through growth, complexity, and operational pressure. Long before AI became mainstream, that meant improving execution, scaling operations, developing leaders, and making strategic decisions in competitive industries.
Most businesses are asking the wrong question about AI. The conversation should not start with tools. It should start with leverage: how capable leaders use AI to improve decision-making, execution, communication, and operational clarity inside the business.
I have spoken and written for C12 Business Forums, Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses, LBM Strategies, and hbsdealer.com. Outside of business, I care about mentorship, faith-driven leadership, family, and service through initiatives like Resurrected Rides.
WHY AIGP IS DIFFERENT
AI Growth Partners starts with real business work, not AI technology.
The training, tools and methods were built from decades of experience running companies, developing leaders, improving operations and making decisions under real business pressure.
That operating experience shapes how AIGP approaches AI: start with the problem, give AI the right business context, ask better questions, challenge assumptions and turn clearer thinking into action.
The goal isn’t more AI. It’s better business work with AI.
In an Industry Built on Relationships,
The Human Side of AI Matters Most.
I believe AI should help businesses become clearer, stronger, and more effective — not more chaotic.
I believe leadership still matters more than technology.
I believe measurable business value matters more than hype.
And I believe the companies that win with AI over the next decade will not necessarily be the most technical. They will be the ones led by disciplined operators who learn how to apply leverage better and faster than everyone else.
Testimonials
Rob Wilson – CEO of Wilson Lumber
“Two words best describe John; intensity and discernment. Intensity because John does not suffer problems for long and is dedicated to finding the best possible path forward. His intense focus on always improving is a sure way to avoid being stuck. For discernment, Time and again I have seen him choose the best path forward; sometimes with lots of information and when it required, very little information. That in itself, is a rare talent.”
Craig Webb – Consultant to LBM dealers and manufacturers
“I first met John when he was writing a profile of Wilson Lumber when my magazine named it ProSales Dealer of the Year.
John was COO at the time, and it was immediately clear that this guy knew how to run a top-notch lumberyard and lead a team. Wilson’s executives had high expectations and worked hard to achieve their goals. Then and now, John searched constantly for ways to improve processes. His work in artificial intelligence combines with all his past experiences to make his recommendations especially valuable.“
