As President of SouthWood Corporation, John Petrone leads all aspects of the business, serving over 200 clients worldwide and managing a dedicated team of more than seventy full-time employees. A decorated military veteran, John empowers his team to deliver the highest standards of product quality and customer service, instilling a client-first mindset throughout the organization.

Under his leadership, SouthWood was named a “Top Workplace” by The Charlotte Observer in 2017 and has earned numerous awards for its signage and sign systems. John’s expertise in manufacturing and operations was shaped by his time with Instrument Transformer Equipment Corporation (ITEC) and Charlotte Pipe and Foundry, and further honed while managing administrative operations for leaders at McGuireWoods LLP and the UNC Board of Governors.

From 2010 to 2015, John served as an Infantry Officer in the United States Marine Corps. As the commanding officer of the Combined Anti-Armor Team, he led over 70 Marines on an eight-month combat deployment to southern Afghanistan. For his leadership and service, he was awarded the Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal and the Combat Action Ribbon.

A Charlotte native and Eagle Scout, John holds a Bachelor of Arts from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and is a graduate of Woodberry Forest School. He enjoys golfing, hunting, fishing, and giving back to his community through organizations such as the Atrium Health Sanger Heart & Vascular Institute Board of Ambassadors, The Good Fellows Club Board, the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Foundation Board, the Woodberry Forest Charlotte Alumni Board, and Perfect Care Board of Advisors. Previously, John has also served on the board of TreesCharlotte. He is a proud member of Leadership Charlotte’s 40th Anniversary Class and was honored as one of Charlotte Business Journal’s “40 Under 40” in 2019.

John and his wife, Baxter, are avid Carolina Panthers fans and love spending time on the South Carolina coast with their son, Jack.