Today we’d like to introduce you to John Durnell.
Hi John, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
Loaves & Fishes began when a local church congregation recognized that hungry neighbors were gathering just outside its doors. Rather than looking away, members took stock of what they had, prepared soup and sandwiches, and invited people inside to sit at a table and be served with dignity. That simple act of hospitality became the foundation of Loaves & Fishes.
Today, Loaves & Fishes serves more than 6,000 meals each month to neighbors in Clarksville. We rescue approximately 40,000 pounds of food each month from farmers, restaurants, grocery stores, and other generous partners, then engage more than 400 volunteers each month to transform those donations into nutritious, hot meals. What began with soup and sandwiches continues as a community-wide effort to provide food, hospitality, and hope to local neighbors.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
One of the ongoing challenges for Loaves & Fishes is that the need in our community is constant, while our support must be renewed month after month. We do not receive state or federal operating funding, so every meal, utility bill, supply purchase, and program expense depends on the generosity of local individuals, churches, businesses, foundations, and community partners. We also rely on our volunteers each month to help transform rescued food into hot meals, which requires steady coordination, training, and support. As meal counts rise and food availability changes from day to day, Loaves & Fishes must remain flexible, resourceful, and faithful to the mission of serving our neighbors with dignity.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
John serves as Executive Director of Loaves & Fishes, a Clarksville-based nonprofit food ministry that brings together rescued food, dedicated volunteers, churches, businesses, and community partners to provide nutritious meals, hospitality, and hope for local neighbors. He specializes in translating more than 30 years of business, operations, product-development, and growth leadership into practical nonprofit strategy—strengthening programs, fundraising, volunteer engagement, community partnerships, and organizational systems.
What sets John apart is a collaborative, entrepreneurial approach to community service. His background includes business strategy, P&L management, brand growth, team development, marketing, forecasting, regulatory leadership, and organizational turnaround work. Before joining Loaves & Fishes, he led manufacturing and regulatory operations for a Class III medical-device company, helped secure FDA approvals and ISO quality certification, founded the consumer-products company ProMark—an NFL licensee—and served as COO of a publishing company recognized with a Business Book of the Year award for *100 Years of Chevrolet*.
John is especially proud to have been selected for the 2025–2026 Director’s Award from Greater Nashville United Way. He views the recognition as an affirmation of the collaborative focus of his work at Loaves & Fishes and his commitment to building a stronger network among local nonprofits. His goal is not simply to grow one organization, but to help create partnerships that allow churches, businesses, volunteers, agencies, and community leaders to work together more effectively for people in need.
John holds an undergraduate degree in Industrial Design from Purdue University, completed Executive MBA coursework at the University of Denver, and earned a Master’s in Leadership & Ministry from Evangel University. He lives in Hopkinsville, Kentucky, with his wife and enjoys being close to his children and grandchildren.
What quality or characteristic do you feel is most important to your success?
The qualities most important to my success are optimism, listening, and creative problem-solving. I believe optimism helps a leader see possibility even when resources are limited, challenges are complex, or the need feels overwhelming. It creates the confidence to keep moving forward and encourages others to believe that meaningful progress is possible.
Being a good listener is equally important. The best solutions often come from paying close attention to guests, volunteers, staff members, donors, community partners, and fellow nonprofit leaders. Listening helps ensure that decisions are grounded in real needs rather than assumptions.
Finally, I rely on creative problem-solving to connect people, resources, and ideas in ways that advance the mission. At Loaves & Fishes, every day brings changing circumstances—from food availability to volunteer capacity to increased meal demand. Finding practical, collaborative solutions allows us to remain flexible while continuing to serve our neighbors with dignity.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://loavesandfishestn.org
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LoavesandFishesTN
