Josh Lannon
Co-Founder/CEO
Described as “a driven person with out of the box insights,” Lannon has successfully built and operated 6 healing centers. With a bold vision to bring 1 million warriors home from addiction and PTSD, Warriors Heart is leading the way in chemical dependency treatment for our Warriors.
Growing up, Josh apprenticed under his father’s direction by operating the family owned nightclubs in Las Vegas, Nevada. Josh’s leadership and team led the Vegas nightclubs to be voted the #1 country club, five years in a row.
In 2002, Josh refocused himself to creating a career in sobriety and building businesses that are more socially conscious. He retired from the nightclub industry and, together, Josh and Lisa Lannon launched their first recovery center, Journey Healing Centers, a private drug and alcohol treatment center. JHC grew to six locations with 100 team members. Then in late 2013, Elements Behavioral Health, a leading nationwide provider, acquired JHC.
Josh has also dedicated three decades to studying the martial arts. He has a “Senior Professor of Arts” ranking as a 7th degree black belt as a personal student to the Grandmaster, Mr. Paul Mills. Josh is a leading Professor at the AKKI annual international seminars and teaches worldwide. Josh is currently getting his butt kicked going through the ranks in the Brazilian Jujitsu. He loves learning and taking on challenges.
Josh’s continued passion for building businesses assisting those who are struggling from addiction is one of the driving forces behind Warriors Heart.
My Why
Your “Why” the thing that gets you out of bed, and that pushes you forward. It’s the fuel that will keep you going each and every day, wanting to work and give it your all.
One’s personal Why is incredibly important that you know your why and have one, because without it, all you have is a job.
On the night of November 25th 2001, I was ready to end my life. I was ashamed of who I had become and the pain I was putting my loved ones through. Addiction, drinking, partying, all the lies and bullshit had come crashing down. I was at my bottom and no matter how much I drank or drugged; the pain and depression would not release its grip.
I had a plan and means to end it all… I wanted the pain to stop and at the very edge of no return, was unable to break the trigger. I broke down in tears and felt like a failure. Later that night, when my wife Lisa came home, her words saved my life; “Josh, I’m done. You either go to rehab tonight or I am leaving you”. I could see the truth and power in her eyes. The gig was finally up. No more “honey, I’m sorry,” or “this time it will be different, I promise”. The woman I fell in love with was standing in front of me and I was at the end of the rope. My spartan woman threw me the lifeline that I so desperately needed, but could never admit.
On the morning of November 26th, 2001, I admitted into a rehab program and started the journey to healing, self-discovery, connection and spiritual health. From that moment on, I committed my life’s work to this field. Lisa, the strongest woman I know (next to my mother) once again stood by my side as we healed together. Little did I know, that the purpose of all those wounds (life’s trauma and mistakes) was to let the light in. We joined hand in hand and took on this new path in life.
In 2002, Lisa and I opened our own rehab/healing center and over the years, grew it to 6 facilities with a team just under 100. We assembled a great team and built our company from the end users’ point of view… it worked! We personally knew the how hard it was to walk through the front doors of rehab and the life changing impact it could have.
In 2013, we were approached by a larger company who offered to purchase the organization. At that time, we were in the process of designing the first “Veteran’s Healing Center” with our partner Tom Spooner. Through Tom, I became aware of the 22 Veterans a day who were committing suicide. With a background in behavioral health, we saw that we could lower the national suicide rate if we went after what was killing them first… self-medication, addiction. We discover that most of our Warriors were drunk or high in their final act (as I was). We now had a target and Warriors Heart was born.
Tom, Lisa and I invested a year into just designing Warriors Heart. We assembled a team of Professionals, Warriors and great Americans to build a private, licensed and accredited, exclusive environment for Warriors (active military, veterans, and first responders) only…our nations protectors.
I am honored to be given the privilege to serve as Founder and CEO of Warriors Heart. What you will find is a mission driven group of individuals, united in a common goal… to bring our Warriors Home.
Warriors Healing Warriors…. our mission… my why.
