John F. McLaughlin

John McLaughlin is a proud Canadian, resident of Edmonton, with his partner Mary Jane since 1975. He is an environmentalist, gardener, grandparent and humorist. Starting in Grade 3, John embraced education as the great equalizer. That’s when his teacher wrote on his report card: “Hook Your Wagon to a Satellite”, lighting a fire in him that is still aglow today. This passion fueled his desire to escape the poverty, menial labor, and stink of his family’s mixed farm, through academia.

John funded his first degree from eight funding sources – savings, a scholarship, a federal government grant and loan, a research grant, part-time work, summer internships, and live-in caregiving (houseparent for Children’s Aid Society). A few years later, Mary Jane supported him while he completed his master’s degree.

When children arrived in the 80’s, John researched sources for funding higher education. By this time, Canadians could use a RESP so this became the main funding source, and he actively managed the investments in the family RESP account. But he never stopped researching, with the intent to someday share his analytical findings. With retirement from the corporate world in 2018, shortly after, he moved this project to the front burner, to finish and share with Canadians. During these last few years, John also finished the education funding plans for two grandchildren. This lived experience provides the foundation for the guide

Over his 44-year career, he worked primarily as a facility and real estate manager for large government, telecom and utility entities. In the last 15 years of his career, he worked mostly with Canada’s largest architecture and engineering firm, Stantec, as a management consultant. In this role, he taught, supervised, and coached team members about strategic planning, financial modeling, feasibility studies for capital investments, and evaluation of alternatives. In his “spare time”, he served as CFO and Administrator for his son’s transportation delivery firm.

A lifelong learner, he has completed over sixty-five courses and delivered dozens of workshops on ten different subjects to work colleagues. He has gained competencies in Microsoft’s suite of products, and accounting, costing, and income tax software. John has held professional certifications in Community Planning, Adult Education, Facilitation, Facility Management, and Environmental Sustainability.

Non-profit and professional organizations that have benefited from John’s planning, financial and teaching expertise include the International Facility Managers Association, TELUS Pension Board, The Alberta Real Estate Association, The Environmental Council of Alberta, The Tomorrow Foundation, Junior Achievement, The Edmonton Food Bank, and The Terra Centre.