Mr. Laurence A. St. John was born on January 11, 1965, in Toledo, Ohio. He has one older brother and two younger sisters. His family moved once during his childhood to Genoa, Ohio, just south of Toledo. While attending Genoa Area schools, he was active in track, football, and baseball. After graduating from Genoa High School (Comets) in 1983, he worked for a few manufacturing companies.

At the age of 23, after three years of dedication, hard work, and sweat, he received his first-degree black belt (Shodan) in Tae Kwon Do in 1988. This accomplishment gave him the self-confidence and perseverance to overcome any challenges that came his way.