A member of PRAC since 1990, Ranger Havicon became active and was elected Director of Region 3 in 1997 and served on the Board for 2 terms. He was elected President in 2000 and served as Past-President from 2002 to 2006.

John's accomplishments within PRAC:

• Helped organize a set of training standards for Park Rangers
  
• Helped set up a process for members to become certified to PRAC standards.
  
• Served as Chairman for the Nominating Committee.
  
• Served as EMS committee
  
• Re-designed PRAC's Brochure
  
• Re-designed PRAC's event display
  
• Played active role in PRAC's last 4 conferences

John started his park career in 1978 as a seasonal maintenance technician for Ventura County Parks, collecting park entry fees, mowing golf course greens, and overseeing a group of weekend probationers. At the same time, he attended Moorpark Junior College with the intent of becoming a Park Ranger and finished at Cal State University with a degree in Earth Science in 1980.

 After graduating, he moved to Sacramento, worked at a nursery and continued to search for Park Ranger positions throughout the state. He was hired as a Park Ranger Assistant in 1985, and worked part time, while he attended the Police Academy and Emergency Medical Technician Training. In 1987, he was hired as a full-time Ranger/Peace Officer for Sacramento County Parks, and now serves that agency in a supervisory assignment.

Accomplishments as a Ranger:

• His department's First Aid & CPR instructor in 1990.
• Designed a bicycle trail map of the American River Parkway, which is now sold in local stores.
• Took part in the Junior Ranger program, teaching children rock climbing basics and safety.
• Designed a ready reference of local & state laws that apply to parks.
• Was responsible for getting 5 defibrillators donated to his department's Rangers.
• Survived a dangerous shoot-out with a suspect, after being shot in the chest.