John has a degree in Electronics from the University of Liverpool.
He gained his experience working for organisations such as STC, working on power stations, the Greater London Council where he worked on computer control of road traffic and Sperry Gyroscopes on defence systems. It was at computer maker ICL that he learned the ropes of a software house, developing and marketing business and accounting packages.
Since 1980, he has run his own company, carrying out development and project management contracts for a number of clients. He has also operated McMillan Technology as a software house, selling a package to local councils to control town planning enforcement. John's project management projects are described on the Previous projects page.
Sudbury and District Chamber of Commerce and Industry
President, 1990-1996, 2001 onward
Sudbury Educational and Training Trust
Director, 1992-1996
Sudbury and District Rail Alliance (Community Partnership)
Member 1992-1996
Sudbury Market Town Partnership
Founder member 2003
Collaborate2Innovate
Founder and Leader of Sudbury Regional Group 2003-2005
Joint founder and leader of Colchester Regional Group 2004-2005
Leader of C2I Commercial 2005 on
IP-City (Cambridge to Ipswich project)
Member of Steering Group 2006 on
John is based in the market town of Sudbury in Suffolk. He lives here with his family and works from an office in the centre of the town. He is a member of Sudbury Talbot Rotary Club and has just finished a 2 year spell as Treasurer. His main project in Rotary is a shelter box (www.shelterbox.org) – a fantastic project. The box contains a 10 man tent, sleeping bags, cooking utensils and other essentials of life. The boxes are sent to provide emergency accommodation after disasters like earthquakes and hurricanes. His greatest triumph was after the 2004 tsunami. Within 5 days he had organised a collection that raised £3300, enough for almost 7 boxes. The club went on the raise £13,000 for the tsunami.
Since 2002 he has been President of the Sudbury and District Chamber of Commerce. See www.sudbury.org.uk
He was a director of a charity called Sudbury Educational and Training Trust.
His great passion is for the blues. He plays folk and blues in open mic sessions, and plays blues and rock on Les Paul and Telecaster electric guitars. In 2003 he played some pub gigs with a band called the Worried Men, playing a mixture of skiffle, blues and rock. In the 1970s, he was involved running a remarkable folk club in the Half Moon, Putney, attended by a veritable who’s who: Ralph McTell, Wizz Jones, Clive Palmer, Noel Murphy.
If he hadn’t wasted his youth, he’d be able to brag about his great A levels. Instead he hung around London clubs watching guys like Eric Clapton and Jack Bruce before they were famous. If he hadn’t wasted it, he wouldn’t have seen blues legend Jimmy Reed play in a pub in Leytonstone. He certainly wouldn’t have got involved in a conversation in the gents in the Marquee with Sonny Boy Williamson.
Specialist Subject: Getting the dress code wrong
Sweet Home Chicago (2MB)
McGees Rag (2.7MB)
Midnight Special With Ted Hurrell. Just listen to those superb guitar soles (5MB)
Like a Rolling Stone Ted at his best. Over 7 minutes of genius with yours truly backing (7MB).
