John Santner

Over the past 20 years, Santner has followed many diverse career paths but a consistent theme runs through them all – service. A graduate of the U.S. Air Force Academy, Santner began his professional career serving the mlitary in a teaching and quality-control capacity for the development of missile crews. After leaving the Air Force, he pursued a career in the ministry and was a pastor in the Kansas City area.

Eight years later, when he left the ministry, Santnertook a job with a community development corporation in Kansas City and got hooked. After doing single- and multi-family housing development, property management and asset management with the organization for six years, he made the move to NeighborWorks in 1998. 

Today, Santner serves as vice president for  NeighborWorks' Midwest region and oversees the work of 56  network organizations in 13 states. He is especially proud of the work his group is doing to provide wounded veterans with affordable housing. “This is a very nice bookend for me,’’ says Santner. “I had the military at the beginning of my career and I now have it toward the end.  It’s gratifying to see how this has all come together.”

Santner holds master’s degree in business administration from the University of Missouri and a divinity degree from the University of Saint Mary of the Lake. He also is certified as an economic development finance professional through the National Development Council and as a not-for-profit housing management specialist through the Consortium for Housing and Asset Management.