I had the opportunity to work closely with John during some of the most challenging and fast-moving initiatives at Metrc, including the Retail ID program. He consistently brought a strong combination of technical depth, ownership, and steady leadership to the table.
What always stood out to me was John’s ability to operate effectively in ambiguity. Requirements were evolving, timelines were aggressive, and priorities often shifted quickly, but he remained focused on finding practical solutions and keeping the team moving forward. He was a reliable partner to Product — willing to challenge ideas constructively when needed, but always with the shared goal of delivering the right outcome.
John also has a calm, low-drama leadership style that teams genuinely benefit from during high-pressure situations. He takes ownership end-to-end, communicates clearly across functions, and can bridge the gap between engineering and business priorities exceptionally well.
Any organization looking for a strong technical leader who can navigate complexity, lead through change, and collaborate effectively across teams would be fortunate to have him.

I’ve had the chance to work alongside John as a fellow engineering manager, and he’s someone I genuinely respect and enjoy collaborating with. He brings a real go‑getter attitude and has been leading by example when it comes to practical AI integration and figuring out how to actually get value from it. What really stood out to me was how he took the time to walk me through his approach, talked openly about the pain points, and even followed up later to get my thoughts and feedback. He’s highly technical, approachable, and always willing to help think through problems. Any team would be better with him on it.

I had the opportunity to work with John and always appreciated his willingness to engage, learn, and push through challenges. He brings a strong work ethic and a thoughtful approach to his responsibilities, consistently showing up ready to contribute and improve.
John is also highly personable and easy to work with — the kind of teammate who builds positive relationships and is always willing to step in and help where needed. That combination of technical capability and approachability makes a real difference on a team.
From a technical perspective, John is a strong engineer who takes pride in his work and continues to grow his skills. What stood out most to me was his ability to take feedback seriously and use it as fuel for growth. Over time, I saw him become more confident in navigating complex situations and more intentional in how he collaborates with others.
John cares about doing things the right way and continuing to develop both professionally and personally. I’m confident he will continue to build on that foundation and be a valuable contributor wherever he goes.
I’d hire him again.

I’ve known John Tolar professionally for about 30 years. He’s just a solid guy one who’ll step into a tough situation and stay with it until it’s handled right.
He’s smart and easy to work with, and people trust him. I’ve always respected how he handles being in charge. He’s fair, and he’ll back his team, but he’ll also own it when something’s on him. You don’t see that enough.
At the end of the day, he’s someone you can count on. I’d work with him again without hesitation.

John's attention to detail coupled with his excellent personality made him a great man to work for. He has this uncanny ability to multitask many projects at once while still keeping his team on their own tasks. John is currently, and will always be, an extremely valuable asset to a company.

In someone else's words.