Jon is a bilingual, retired architect and planner living near Sioux Narrows, Ontario. His architecture practice was in Peterborough, Ontario where he was involved in both professional and local issues. He received a OAA Design Excellence Award and a heritage restoration commendation. Eventually, Jon made his way to Ottawa/Gatineau where he served as the Executive Director of the Royal Architectural Institute of Canada (RAIC). During his tenure at the RAIC, he created, hired experts for, and delivered dozens of new courses across Canada for architects entitled, Sustainable Design for Canadian Buildings (SDCB 101 to SDCB 401). Additionally, he was one of four professionals who founded the Canada Green Building Council (CaGBC) which rates green buildings in Canada (such as LEED certified buildings and Zero Carbon buildings). CAGBC has become a hugely successful not-for-profit created by the private sector.

Since retiring Jon has advocated for the environment and the need to address climate change by writing to and communicating with local, provincial and federal officials and politicians -mainly about recycling, single use plastics, and eliminating plastic packaging.

Jon has two adult children and lives a frugal but comfortable retirement in a small, airtight, super-insulated house built to PassiveHaus standards on the shores of Lake of the Woods. The home is powered with solar panels and net metering which charges his electric vehicle.