John W. Barfield is the Founder and Chairman Emeritus of The Bartech Group, Inc., located in Livonia, Michigan. Bartech is among the nation’s largest independent human capital staffing and services firms in the United States. The Company operates under three divisions: Bartech Technical Services, Bartech Workforce Management, and Bartech Managed Solutions and specializes in engineering, information technology and professional staffing services; business process outsourcing solutions; and vendor management solutions. The Company employs over 3,500 employees nationwide

The son of an Alabama sharecropper, Mr. Barfield dropped out of high school to enlist in the Army, serving two years in Germany and France. Upon his discharge, he worked as a custodian at the University of Michigan. Together with his wife Betty, he formed the first of many companies, Barfield Cleaning Company, located in Ypsilanti, Michigan. In 1969, he sold this company to International Telephone and Telegraph Company. He formed and sold several additional businesses, including Barfield Building Maintenance Company (sold to Unified Building Maintenance Services, Inc.) and Barfield Manufacturing Company (sold to Masco Tech Industries). In 1977, he incorporated John Barfield & Associates, which later became The Bartech Group.

Mr. Barfield is active in many business and community organizations. He is a member of the board of directors of Spaulding for Children and Parkridge Community Center, and is a member of the Advisory Board for the Samuel Zell & Robert H. Lurie Institute for Entrepreneurial Studies, University of Michigan. His past leadership involvement includes organizations such as the United Negro College Fund, Salvation Army of Metropolitan Detroit, State of Michigan Community Services Commission and Rotary International. He supports many humanitarian causes from eradicating polio, to saving a youth community center locally, to building wells and providing safe drinking water in developing countries such as Haiti and Africa. His concern for the growing dilemma of the hungry and homeless population led him to form Share ProductsTM. ShareTM brand products were sold throughout the Midwest and the profits were used to provide free meals and safe lodging for the homeless.

Mr. Barfield has received numerous honors and awards including the Tree of Life Award, the highest honor of the Jewish National Fund in America; The Laureate Award from Junior Achievement of Southeastern Michigan Business Hall of Fame in 1994; The George Romney Award, recognizing his achievement in volunteerism in 1996; Northwood University's Outstanding Business Leadership Award; and Olivet College's Leadership in Individual and Social Responsibility Award. In 2001, he received the Sapphire Award, a high honor for a leading volunteer who has made a demonstrable commitment to Michigan youth, created by the State of Michigan and Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan. In 2003, he received the A.G. Gaston Lifetime Achievement Award from Black Enterprise Magazine recognizing his achievements within the African American business community.

Mr. Barfield holds honorary doctorate degrees from Grand Valley State University and Cleary College. He and his wife, Betty have six adult children and reside in Ann Arbor, Michigan.