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                                            (see also: https://johnsakowicz.org)

My education in both the sciences and the humanities, and my work experience in financial services and financial technology services, law enforcement, journalism, and public service, have all informed my career and given me an abiding commitment to leadership, evidence-based management, ethics, and human dignity. 

EDUCATION

I received my BA in 1977 and MA in 1979 from the Johns Hopkins University 

At Hopkins, I started in the Department of Biophysics, and published a research paper on "Oncogenes and Oncovirus," in the Spring 1974, Johns Hopkins Undergraduate Science Bulletin.

Later, I transferred to the Humanities Center and edited the The Hopkins Review.

I also took courses at the Johns Hopkins School for Advanced International Studies on the intersection of foreign policy and national security.

As  a work-study student, I worked in university administration.

I first worked for Tony Dawgiewicz, Director of Internal Audits and Secretary to the Board of Trustees Committee on Audits.

I next worked for Bob Wilson, Director, Office of Business Development.

I finally worked for George Stewart, Director, Office of the Treasurer, and Chair, University Investment Committee.

While a graduate student, I also worked as writer, editor, and speech writer for Dr. Vicente Navarro at the Johns Hopkins School of Public Health.

Dr. Navarro, editor-in-chief of the International Journal of Health Services, was at that time the only tenured professor at Hopkins who was a Marxist. 

EMPLOYMENT

Financial Services and Financial Technology Services (1979-2000)

In 1979, after I had interviewed with the CIA at the Johns Hopkins Placement Office, I was hired by A.B. "Buzzy" Krongard at Alex Brown & Sons in Baltimore.

Alex Brown was acquired by Bankers Trust , later Deutsche Bank.

During his 29-year career on Wall Street, Krongard was a consultant and counselor to the various Directors of Central Intelligence (DCIs). Krongard was appointed as the Executive Director of the CIA in 1998. 

After training at Alex Brown and earning my Series 7 license, I worked in floor operations for Merrill Lynch at the NYMEX and COMEX. Before 9/11, the exchanges were located at 4 WTC.

NYMEX was the world's leading futures and commodities market for energy, including crude oil, heating oil, and gasoline.

COMEX was the world's leading futures and commodities market for gold.

The NYMEX and COMEX are now owned by the CME, the Chicago Mercantile Exchange. More than 90 percent of total volume at the exchange occurs electronically on CME Globex Trading System. 

In 1982 I was hired to work in floor operations for Spear Leeds Kellogg, now a division of Goldman Sachs, at the NYSE. John A. Mulheren was my direct report at Spear Leeds Kellogg.

In 1984, I was recruited to work as Vice President and National Sales Manager, Managed Futures and Precious Metals for Dean Witter Reynolds, now a division of Morgan Stanley. The job required a Series 3 license. 

My office was located at 2 WTC. My direct report was Ken Tropin.

Tropin is the former President of Dean Witter Futures. He is currently the founder and Chairman of Graham Capital Management.

In 1988, I co-funded a Trust and Company Service Provider (TCSP) in the Cayman Islands.

I advised the TCSP until retiring from the financial services industry and relocating to northern California in 2000.

Law Enforcement (2000-2004)

In 2000, I was was hired in local law enforcement at the Mendocino County Sheriff's Office.  (Badge No.2324)

I passed an extensive background check, including polygraph.

Financial Services and Financial Technology Services (2004-2012)

In 2004, I returned to work in the financial services industry. I was hired at the Swiss bank, UBS.

At UBS, I worked for three years in their office on Oakmont Drive, in the Valley of the Moon, Santa Rosa, California. That office had a propriety trading desk for coffee, cocoa, sugar and coffee.

Public Service: Mendocino County, CA (2012-present)

In 2012, 2013, and 2015, I served on the Mendocino County Grand Jury. I was vetted and appointed by the Mendocino County Superior Court.

The grand jury's statutory mandate is to investigate waste, fraud, and corruption in county and city government.

In 2012, I was appointed by the Mendocino County Board of Supervisors to serve as a public trustee of the county's $600 million retirement system, the Mendocino County Employee Retirement Association (MCERA).

I passed an extensive background check and was vetted as a bonded fiduciary.

I trained as a public trustee for public pension systems at Stanford Law School by the California Association of Public Retirement Systems (CALAPRS).

I was further trained in pension fund management for trustees at UC Berkeley's Haas School of Business (2013).

I received advanced pension fund management training for trustees at UCLA's Anderson School of Management (2015).

In 2017, I was recognized with a proclamation for my service at MCERA.

See: https://www.mendocinocounty.org/home/showdocument?id=6154

In 2013, I was elected to a three-year term as a member of the Board of Directors at Mendocino County Public Broadcasting (MCPB). I served as board treasurer in 2014.

MCPB holds two FCC licenses, KZYX and KZYZ, in Philo, CA.

In January 2017, I was appointed to the Board of Directors at the Ukiah Valley Sanitation District. 

In October 2019, I declared my candidacy for Mendocino County, 1st District Supervisor.

My campaign was informed by years of involvement in the local cannabis industry.

An important part of my platform was organizing a cannabis farmers co-op.

Another important part of my platform was launching a not-for-profit cannabis supply chain company to be owned and operated by the farmers co-op and financed by a $10 million industrial revenue bond issued to the County of Mendocino by the California Bank Infrastructure and Economic Development Bank. 

In December, I dropped out of my campaign due to a medical injury. 

See: https://johnsakowicz.org/

See: https://www.ukiahdailyjournal.com/2020/01/28/john-sakowicz-running-for-mendocino-county-1st-district-supervisor/

RADIO JOURNALISM

​Over the years, I have written for several university-based publications, including articles for the Johns Hopkins Magazine and the Carey Business Magazine at the Johns Hopkins Carey Business School.

From 2008 to 2014, I brought together al my work experience in international finance in  hosting a public radio show, "All About Money," with top guests from the world of business, finance and politics.

The show was originally hosted on NPR affiliate stations, KZYX and KZYZ, in northern California.

In 2014, I moved the show to public radio station, KMEC, a Pacifica affiliate station. The show's focus was expanded to include national security, and I renamed the show, "Heroes and Patriots". In 2019, the show was moved to KMUD.

Our production team created a dedicated website where we post archived shows and a blog.

See: https://heroespatriots.org/ 

The show airs at KMUD on the first Thursday of every month at 9:00 AM Pacific Time.

Additionally, many of our radio shows are posted with text and video to YouTube. Archived shows are also available as podcasts.

Guests on the program have included: Nobel Laureates; Pulitzer Prize recipients; members of Congress and senior staff; C-level executives from Fortune 500 companies; retired senior military officers; retired senior national security and intelligence officers; prominent whistleblowers; and many leading authors, academics, think tank researchers, progressives, and activists.

In November 2010, I appeared opposite President Obama on Al Jazeera while attending the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation group (APEC) in Yokohama, Japan.

See: https://www.aljazeera.com/economy/2010/11/13/asia-pacific-leaders-set-to-meet/

PERSONAL​

​Divorced. Five daughters and two sons.

Documentary evidence of my work experience, including FINRA file, and my professional training and public service, may be found in the "Credentials" section of my Bio.

See: https://www.johnsakowicz.com/credentials.html

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July 2022