Former Pro Football Player + Entrepreneur + Whistleblower Against Minority Small Business Fraud + Activist AS A Change Agent
John Pointer
Activist
About
John pointer's Story
After his NFL career, Legend John Pointer created a multi-million dollar company, Pointer Oil Company, a petroleum distribution firm. John served as state executive administrators under two Tennessee governors and under Mississippi’s former Governor Haley Barbour. John was recruited to assist in the Hurricane Katrina Disaster Recovery.
John had been recognized as an expert on “specialized small business programs” that are designed by Congress to assist the economic empowerment and development of military veterans, minorities, women-owned, and LGBTQ businesses. Through his and his family’s experiences with systemic racism, John has committed to making a change and has testified in Washington, D,C. on a few occasions where both Senators and Congressmen have called him ”An American Hero and a True Patriot” for his actions.
John was recently appointed Advisor of Minority Small Business Initiative for the NFLA. Currently, he is assisting former NFL players with their interests in getting involved in specialized small business development programs nationwide.
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Accomplished executive and activist with over thirty (30) years of experience lauded for multiple successful entrepreneurial ventures and pioneering efforts for effective small and corporate operations as well as state and federal government departments
- Assisted the US Department of Justice and US Small Business Administration in stopping more than $50M of criminal waste, fraud, and abuse in the federal program of the Specialized Small Business Investment Corporation
- Testified on several invitations at US Senate and Congress Special Hearings Committees
- Oversaw Multi-Million Dollar state programs as executive state administrator on behalf of two Tennessee Governors (Sundquist/Bredesen) in Minority Business Development (Managed $100M budget) and Housing (Managed $400M+} budgetary means
- Served as Coordinator for the State of Mississippi for Disadvantaged Small Business during Hurricane Katrina Recovery Process (Assisted various Gulf Coast Minority Businesses as well as NFLPA and their small business owners in the Gulf Coast)
- Appeared in local media and national media and have conducted numerous news stories on actions against waste and fraud
- Coordinated military grant with Fort Campbell regarding early retirees and job readiness
- Earned Bachelor of Science in English from Vanderbilt University, Peabody College – have been trained and certified in both state and federal housing, Civil Rights, small business, and accounting certification
- Played Professional Football in the National Football League – Linebacker for Green Bay Packers (1987) and the Canadian Football League (1981-86) * First American recipient of medical funding from CFL Alumni in the US (2018)
- Assisted the state of Tennessee and the US Department of Agriculture in stopping millions from further fraud and abuse in Minority Small Business procurement and small business loan programs
- First recipient of the NFL “Social Justice” Grant in Tennessee
Prominent Positions
NFL Alumni Association
2020
Director of “Minority Small Business Initiative” Program
US Civil Rights Commission (Tennessee)
2012-16
State Advisor
National Association of Minority Contractors (Tennessee)
2016
Chapter President
National Football League Players Association (Nashville)
2016
Chapter, Vice President
Board Positions
US Civil Rights Commission (Tennessee)
2016
Board Member
University of Tennessee Department of Agriculture
2011-14
Advisory Board
Tennessee State University Department of Agriculture
2011-14
Advisory Board
Tennessee Youth Obesity and Fitness Campaign
2011-13
Board Member
AWARDS + ACCOLADES
Governor's Award-Tennessee's Best in Housing Innovation
2015
Nominee
US Small Business Administration as the State of Tennessee Entrepreneur of the Year
2014
Nominee
Recognized for distinguished service by US Federal Highway Administration
Certified Trainings – 1964 Civil Rights Act, Title VI, and State Director of DBE program at TDOT
University of Tennessee and Tennessee State University Advisory Committee for Agriculture Extension Centers
2011
Appointments
“Americans in Canada” for involvement in “Civic and Community” support
1996
Award
volunteerism
National Football League (NFL) Foundation
2018
First NFL (former) Player to have received the NFL “Social Justice Grant” in which was donated completely to local non-profit organization, Build and Learn, LLC – a job readiness program for former individuals incarcerated, minority, and military veterans for employment preparations
US Civil Rights Commission (Tennessee)
2016
Selected for a four year term as a state advisor
John Pointer’s Back to Basics football camp – Columbia, TN
- Launched camp for children with all financial proceeds benefitting Maury County Pop Warner football program and the Boys & Girls Club of Glade Street
- Annually raised funds for school programs and community support
- Received Maury County’s “Male of the Year” for support of Columbia community
Special Olympics
1984
- Honored as “Americans in Canada”
- Received civic and community activities award for raising funds for Special Olympics
“Americans in Canada” for involvement in “Civic and Community” support
1996
Award
Supported Jewish Community – Montreal, Quebec
1983
- Raised funds for new facility
- Received B’nai Brith Award
Books
Bend But Don't Break
2008
Xlibrus Press
The Life Story of a Former Pro Football Player Who Stops Millions in Federal Government Programs
Education
VANDERBILT UNIVERSITY
NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE
1976-80
Bachelor of Science in English and Minor in Communications
Dawson University
Montreal, Quebec
1984
Small Business Management Certification
London School of Business
Montreal, Quebec
1983
Small Business Accounting Certification
State of Tennessee
1989
Tennessee State Supreme Court Conflict Resolution and Mediation
John Pointer's
Life in Photos
Professsional Speaking
Expert Testimony
Testified in US Senate and Congressional Hearings
• Served as an expert on specialized small businesses and development for better oversight and more transparency, which
Congress designed to assist Women, Minority, Military, and Disabled Military Veteran Businesses along with rural and small
business owners in Tennessee
• Recognized as “An American Hero” in Senate Hearings for actions to stop fraud and waste by former Senator Dr. Tom Coburn;
Chairman of Subcommittee, in Washington, DC – 2006
• Testified in US Senate Subcommittee Special hearing for Homeland and Security in Washington, DC – 2007
• Contributed to US National Whistleblowers Conference in Senate in Washington, DC. – 2009
*Testified to African American federal government employees who are whistleblowers – FEAR Association in Washington, DC
• Testified to US Securities and Exchange Commission’s Chairman of Whistleblowers and staff in Washington, DC
• Appointed to State of Tennessee Nutrition, Physical Activity and Obesity Plan committee that harms minority children, 2010
* Conducted several depositions in order to aid and assist federal and state small business programs in better oversight in
Tennessee
*Worked alongside such federal and state officials for 30 yr. process – Office of Inspector General, State, and Federal Legal
Counsel, FBI, US Department of Justice Investigators, Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, US and State, and County Court
Judges, US/TN Department of Transportation Investigators, USDA Rural Development administrators and US Civil Rights
Committee
Columbia State Community College Leadership Institute, Keynote speaker, 2014
• Focused on leadership skills, communication skills, personal development, financial planning, and career education options.
• Presented address to more than 250 high school juniors and seniors in Columbia State’s nine-county service area
• Delivered speeches in Washington, DC, universities, and professional associations
