John Lankford
President & Founder
Dedicated to a universal truth that people are at their best when they care for the health of other people, John has navigated an expansive career.
For over 35 years he has navigated diverse leadership functions inside strong growth organizations. Beginning with his work in sales and marketing at Abbott Laboratories during the genesis stage of their invitro-diagnostics business, he made early moves to Inc. Magazine hallmarks like Biosite Diagnostics in San Diego, to expand his learning and impact in operations, strategy and general management.
John’s realization that leadership is the most critical ingredient to the success of any idea, product or company led him to design a novel approach based on principles of equity research and valuation that would be applied to leadership acquisition.
The Parnassus Group is built on the idea that health advancement truly occurs as the best leaders are brought to the organizations who envision and invest in life changing technologies and services in ways that new standards of excellence are created. John and his wife built a non-profit organization called Urban Avenues in 2013 to advance the connection of communities in Birmingham, AL through the deployment of ventures (Fives Loaves Birmingham and Fish Camp Films) that are built by students in the city who are inspired to deploy economic development through education and the advancement of beauty. He sits on the board of directors of several organizations nationally. John is a graduate of Samford University and lives with his wife Laura in the city they love, Birmingham, AL.