Owner and President of JBSJ & Associates, LLC, an aerospace consulting company, Gen Sams’ provides over 54 years’ experience in military and commercial aerospace leadership experience.  Six-times a commander in the USAF, he retired in late 1999 as the Commander, 15^th Air Force before joining The Boeing Company.  Working his way through leadership positions within Boeing, he retired in 2008 as Vice President of Air Force Programs for Boeing Integrated Defense Systems.   Before that, John was Vice President in the former IDS Air Force Systems and led the company’s US Air Force Tanker Capture Team.  His consultant company presently works for aerospace related companies.  Additionally, Lt Gen Sams is Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the Aerial Refueling Systems Advisory Group, the Joint Standardization Agent for the Office of the Secretary of Defense for all matters pertaining to all-service and international aerial refueling specifications, processes and procedures.

Lt Gen Sams was elected as a Citadel Alumni Association member to the The Citadel Board of Visitors, taking his seat on the BOV in July 2011, and was elected by the board to be Chairman in 2015.  He relinquished his seat and Chairmanship on the Board of Visitors in the summer of 2017.  In 2018 Gen Sams returned to The Citadel as Interim President prior to General Walters arrival, and presided over the new president’s assumption of command.

 Board Affiliations and Community Service

• Lowcountry Graduate Center Board of Directors (Past)
• Falcon Foundation, United States Air Force Academy (Past)
• Chairman, Aerial Refueling Systems Advisory Group
• Senior VP, Airlift/Tanker Association Board of Directors (Past)
• National Board of Directors, Medal of Honor Bowl (Past)
• Combined Federal Campaign Chairman, Travis AFB, CA and Carswell AFB, TX (Past)

Education

• A., History, The Citadel – 1967
• A., Personal Management, Central Michigan University – 1977
• The Air Command and Staff College – Distinguished Graduate – 1981
• The Air War College – Distinguished Graduate – 1985
• Emory University Advance Management Program -1988
• Harvard Advance School for Government – 1994
• Massachusetts Institute of Technology Seminar XXI Program – 1995

Personal – Married for 54 years to the former Suzanne Searson of Charleston, SC, they have three children and six grandchildren, the oldest a five-year graduate of The Citadel!