John Wigodsky was born in Washington, D.C. and was raised in San Antonio, Texas. He received an A.B. degree in Management Science from Duke University and a Master of Science in Marketing from the Sloan School at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
Following graduation, Wigodsky married and moved to North Carolina to work in marketing at Hanes Knitwear in Winston-Salem. In the late 70s, he and his wife, Mary Lynn Wigodsky, became involved with UNCSA as part of the Host Family Program for high school students, and remained involved until 1986 when they moved to Kentucky.
There, Wigodsky began working for Fruit of the Loom as a vice president of marketing. In 1999, he moved back to Winston-Salem due to his work and resumed his involvement with UNCSA through the Host Family Program and the Giannini Society.
In 2012, Wigodsky and his wife became members of the Giannini Advisory Council, which they co-chaired from 2016-20. In 2015, he joined the UNCSA Foundation and served in several capacities including as treasurer before becoming the president in 2020. Additionally, Wigodsky served on the Board of the Industries for the Blind and was an adjunct professor at the Babcock School of Wake Forest University.
The Wigodskys have been married for over four decades and have two grown daughters and three grandchildren. They currently fund two scholarships at UNCSA, one for the School of Music and one for the School of Dance.