John formally joined Hato Hone St John in 2000 after a lengthy career in the New Zealand Police.  Although his informal involvement as a medal and insignia consultant goes back 20 years before that, and culminated in his being awarded a Priory Vote of Thanks in 1984.

He served as a member and then, for six years, chair of the Greater Wellington District Committee, the first successful amalgamation of a series of contiguous Hato Hone St John Area Committees.

He was appointed to the national role of Registrar in 2011, a position he held until 2020.  Over this period John drove a new national consistency in honours nominations; and was responsible for the removal of foundation dues, the replacement of oblations with voluntary donations, and the removal of the ability, in New Zealand, to cancel Order membership for non-payment of oblations.

Internationally, he led the policy process for the development of the Ultra Long Service Medal and had significant input to the reviews of the Statutes and Regulations of our Order.

John was appointed as Director of Ceremonies for the Priory in New Zealand in 2020. He was made a Member of the Order in 2006; advanced to Commander in 2014; appointed as a Knight of Grace in January 2020, and reclassified as a Knight of Justice in November that year.