John received a Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting from UNC-Charlotte.  He has served on the North Carolina Association of CPAs as a director and on the Work Life Committee. He is also currently serving on the board of directors for Carolina Farm Credit as an appointed director where he has served for 8 years.

John comes from an accounting family.  His father, Fred Barnard, was a CPA and his sister, Mary B. Frye, a CPA, works with John in his firm.  In addition, his mother was a bookkeeper and his brother is an accountant.  John’s wife, LeAnda Lippard Barnard, is the office manager.  John and LeAnda built the Barnard/Lippard building in 2008 where his firm is located.

John and LeAnda are both Statesville natives. They have three daughters – Layne and husband, Forrest Adams of Wendell, NC, Katherine (Kakki) of Statesville and Emma – ETSU, Johnson City, TN.  They are active members of Grace Baptist Church where John is a member of the choir, ordained as a deacon and serves on various committees and boards.