About John Marshall
Led by a business operator, not an AI theorist.
Most people teaching AI came from tech and are learning business. I came from business first.
More than 40 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 am Chairman of the Board of Tara Manufacturing, and as its interim CEO I put this method to work on my own job. This is not advice from the sidelines.
500%
revenue growth as President and COO, Wilson Lumber
450%
revenue growth as President, AllTemp Windows
17
industries over 40+ years
3×
C12 Member of the Year
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, LBM Strategies, and hbsdealer.com. Outside of business, I care about mentorship, faith-driven leadership, family, and service through initiatives like Resurrected Rides.
The goal isn’t more AI. It’s better business work with AI.
What I believe
The companies that win with AI will be led by disciplined operators.
- 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 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.
“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.”
Craig Webb, President, Webb Analytics LLC · webb-analytics.com
Speaking
I speak to owners, executives and industry groups about practical AI, better decisions and workflows that pay off. I do not sell from the podium.
See how an operator uses AI.
Bring one real decision. Five minutes, no account. Nothing you type is saved or used to train an AI model.
