John Gardiner

John Gardiner is an entrepreneur and printing industry executive with nearly four decades of experience building and leading commercial printing businesses. He began his career in the industry in 1986 and holds a degree in Marketing and Communications from the University of Minnesota Duluth.

In 1990, John became Owner and CEO of Maximum Graphics, where he led the company’s growth for more than a decade before successfully selling the business to Consolidated Graphics in 2001. In 2008, he co-founded Quantum Graphics and currently serves as Owner and Chief Operating Officer.  Under his leadership, Quantum Graphics has grown to 130 employees and approximately $40 million in annual revenue. John oversees day-to-day operations and plays a key role in customer relationships and strategic partnerships.

John brings an entrepreneurial perspective and deep operational experience to the Oppidan board.  His background founding, scaling, and transitioning businesses provides valuable insight as Oppidan navigates its next phase of growth and leadership succession.

Outside of his professional work, John is an active leader in the community.  He has served on youth hockey boards in Hopkins and Minnetonka and was the driving force behind the development of the Pagel Activity Center.