Born and raised in Greenfield, California, John Romans grew up helping his father farm. As a kid John worked on the ranch, spending his grammar school summers in the bean fields. His father grew vegetables for Merit Packing and was a cattle rancher as well, and John helped with all aspects of the farming and ranching. He would also work for his grandfather on his farm in Madera, California when his family went to visit his grandparents.

After beginning his education at the University of California, Berkeley and finishing at the University of California, Davis with a degree in Agricultural Science and Management, John went to work for Paul Masson Winery. He helped develop the very first vineyards in the Salinas Valley, planting and growing grapes in Greenfield and Soledad for several years after college. He then left Paul Masson to work with his father, and continued to grow and expand his own operations, beginning with Mission Ranches.

In 1986, John teamed with six other major growers in the Salinas Valley to form Growers Vegetable Express. Together the partners started one of the most innovative and respected fresh vegetables growing and farming operations in the North America.

John enjoys the miracle of farming--how everything is inter-connected, and the power of Mother Nature. He loves being outside, the smell of dirt and the satisfaction of being a good steward of the ground and being able to make a living doing it.

John believes in treating his employees fairly; to listen, have compassion, and to be fair and honest. Most importantly, he would never ask one of his employees to do something he wouldn't do himself.

One of the nation's largest green onion growers, John's farming techniques have revolutionized the way onions are grown. Through refined fertilizing and planting methods, he has significantly increased yields. He especially enjoys growing spinach and spring mix, because they are such pretty crops when they're growing.

In his free time, John enjoys team roping, and competes at the amateur level in California. He also enjoys skiing and hunting. His wife Annette, a retired school nurse, and he have two grown sons. His older son Alex works for Mission Ranches, one of the growing companies for Growers Express, and his younger son Neil is a helicopter pilot for the US Army.