Founder Profile
John B. Gregory
Last reviewed: September 2026 · By Swet Parvadiya
Background
John B. Gregory possessed an incredibly rigorous, deeply technical background in advanced chemical engineering, complex solvent formulation, and massive-scale industrial laboratory research. Operating as a fiercely capable scientist who possessed deep expertise in analyzing highly complex chemical interactions on specialized alloys, this intensely scientific foundation provided the exact analytical mastery required to successfully co-found the incredibly massive WD-40 technology pipeline.
Founding Story
John B. Gregory was a highly astute American chemical engineer, fiercely pragmatic industrial strategist, and the profoundly influential technical co-founder fundamentally responsible for assisting in the critical formulation and early structural deployment of the massive WD-40 product. Operating as an incredibly talented chemist alongside Larsen and Dawson in 1953, Gregory aggressively contributed to the highly complex laboratory experiments required to completely perfect the water-displacing properties of the legendary 40th formula. By relentlessly optimizing the exact chemical ratios and fiercely ensuring the solvent would not degrade the highly sensitive aerospace metals, his absolutely rigorous technical execution completely guaranteed the formula's massive commercial success. His massive chemical legacy permanently established the scientific foundation of the multi-million dollar WD-40 brand.