John Davis was raised on a working farm in southern Illinois.  He attended the University of Illinois, where he earned degrees in Economics and Accounting , as well as his CPA designation.  He started his career with Ernst & Young in St. Louis, MO, working as a Senior Auditor.  In 1987 he moved to Philadelphia where he spent 14 years working for an international travel firm working in various roles including performing  international audits, directing finance and budgeting, and eventually serving as Chief Financial Officer.

In 2001, John and his partner moved to San Francisco where he was able to shift his avocation and energy of volunteering with non-profit organizations to his vocation working with non-profit organizations focusing on social and environmental change.  Since then he has spent 24 years in financial leadership at Pacific School of Religion (Berkeley, CA), The Trust for Public Land (San Francisco, CA), Monterey Bay Aquarium, and Nia Tero Foundation (Seattle, WA), before retiring in 2025.

John began volunteering with Meals on Wheels of the Salinas Valley in 2022 and continues to appreciate his meal delivery opportunities in Salinas. He joined the MOWSV board of directors in December 2025.  Over the last 40 years, he has enjoyed serving on several non-profit boards and providing board-staff support in his financial leadership roles.  John has lived in Corral de Tierra since moving to the area in 2018.  He enjoys biking and has participated in the AIDS Lifecycle rides from San Francisco to Los Angeles seven years, raising funds for the San Francisco AIDS Foundation.  His ultimate relaxation activities are traveling, reading, and cooking for friends.