John Oxendine attended Walter F. George School of Law at Mercer, where he was active in student organizations including the Lambda Chi Alpha fraternity, and graduated with his Juris Doctorate in 1987. He began his political life as a student assistant to Governor George Busbee. He later worked on the campaign staff of Joe Frank Harris, who was elected Governor and appointed John as chairman of the State Personnel Board.
Prior to entering politics, John owned and operated a small business and was an attorney practicing law in Gwinnett County, Georgia. In 1994, John was elected to the office of Insurance Commissioner in the State of Georgia. As Commissioner, he brought reforms to the office, expanding the office hours and creating Georgia's first Telemedicine Program. He consistently ran the department under budget and saved money for the taxpayers every year.
John has brought the power of the private sector to bear in addressing Georgia's challenges. He created a public-private partnership to develop a comprehensive telemedicine program in the United States which expanded the availability of healthcare to every Georgia citizen without spending taxpayer dollars. For his work on behalf of Georgia consumers and health care providers, John was awarded the American Medical Association's highest honor, the only Insurance Commissioner to receive the David Award.
John attends Mount Pisgah United Methodist Church, where he serves as an usher. He resides in Duluth in Gwinnett County with his wife and children.