John White was a four-year letterman and two-year All-Conference defensive end at 6-3, 235. He also earned NAIA All-America second team honors in 1979 when he led the team in sacks, tackles for loss and fumble recoveries.
White was a starter on the 1978 Blugold team that finished 8-2 and posted a school-record five shutouts that season. For his career, White was credited with 228 tackles including 112 solos of which 22 were sacks or tackles for loss. He also recovered seven fumbles, forced a fumble, intercepted two passes, blocked one kick and broke up four passes.
A marketing major and physical education minor at UWEC, he earned a master's degree in physical education from Bemidji State and a doctorate in exercise science from the University of Mississippi.
A two-time all-conference prep at Brookfield East High School, White has been employed by the Dow Chemical Company in Lake Jackson, Texas in corporate occupational medicine since 1991. He is currently the Regional Health Director for all Texas sites and a member of Dow's Global Prevention Team. He is also a global subject matter expert in the areas of musculoskeletal injury/illness, ergonomics and injury/illness reduction. White is currently transitioning into Global Preventive Health Leadership. Dow Chemical recently received a C. Everett Koop Award for a research project that White co-led the past four years in the area of prevention and supportive environment. White has also received global recognition by Dow Chemical for his service to employees (Making a Difference Award).
White is currently involved as a co-project leader and co-investigator in a project on Obesity and Environmental Interventions in conjunction with the National Institute on Health, Cornell University and the University of Georgia.
White's career has also involved coaching, teaching and managing. He played minor league football with the Sacramento Buffalos in 1981 and signed a free agent contract with the Michigan Panthers in 1983 but was injured and released. He spent 1982-83 at Bemidji State as a graduate assistant and member of the physical education faculty. He was also a graduate assistant, strength and conditioning coach, defensive line coach and on-campus recruiter at the University of Mississippi from 1984-86.
He was a teacher and head football coach at St. Andrew's Episcopal School in Jackson, Mississippi in 1986-87; a Research Associate at the Cooper Institute in 1987; the General Manager of The Marsh, A Center for Balance and Fitness, in Minnetonka, Minnesota from 1988-90; and a Corporate Consultant for the Cooper Institute in 1990-91 before taking his first position at Dow.
For the past eight years, he has coached at Brazosport Christian School in Lake Jackson, earning Coach of the Year honors from the Texas Association of Private Schools in 2003. With White as the defensive coordinator, the team has posted a 19-1 record with state playoff appearances the past two years.
While taking Bible seminary courses in the masters of theology program at Columbia School of Bible and Missions, White served various religious-based activities such as marriage and family life leader, adult Bible study leader, Texas Emmaus Lay Director, youth minister and confirmation leader.
He and his wife Barb have three children: Benjamin, 20; Daniel, 17; and Joey, 13.