John-Winings sustainable agriculture haiti John Winings has been the executive director of Haiti Fund, Inc. since May 2005. A graduate of the University of Illinois (BS, liberal arts and sciences, 1963; MBA—international business operations, 1965), he worked in industry for twenty-five years for Occidental Petroleum Corporation and The BOC Group, PLC before moving to North Carolina.

John’s talents include:  

  • extensive international technology licensing experience in a variety of cultures and countries around the world in the chemical and pulp and paper industries
  • serving as a full P&L general manager since 1979
  • broad skills in science, marketing, manufacturing, technology transfer and top management
  • serving as a turnaround specialist for venture capital firms with portfolio companies needing strong leadership
  • serving as a consultant to individuals and organizations needing renewed energy and focus.

A life-long Presbyterian, John was ordained as an elder in the Presbyterian Church (USA) in 1978 and has held numerous leadership positions, such as:

  • charter member of Wake Forest Presbyterian Church and Clerk of Session
  • Commissioned Ruling Elder serving two commissions to churches in New Hope Presbytery (North Eastern North Carolina), Butner Presbyterian Church, and Clayton Presbyterian New Church Development
  • Interim executive of the Synod of the Mid-Atlantic of the PCUSA from 2007–2008.

John was commissioned as the Executive Director of Haiti Fund, Inc. in 2006 after leading HFI for a year. Haiti Fund is a validated ministry of the Presbytery of New Hope, NC.  Following the earthquake in Haiti in 2010, John and his wife Debbie moved to Haiti where John took on the position of director of CODEP while retaining his responsibilities with Haiti Fund. Since 2012, he has served with two Haitians (Edvy Durandice and Clement Tercelin) in the Office of the Director of CODEP, where the three of them share responsibilities as CEO of CODEP.

John and Debbie live in Wake Forest, NC, and have three children and five grandchildren. You can learn more about John at http://www.johnwinings.com/