Last modified: Thursday, July 21, 2011
Rick L. Johnson, Jr.'s biography
July 21, 2011
Rick L. Johnson, Jr., owner, president, and CEO of Johnson Ventures, Inc., has been elected to the Indiana University Foundation Board of Directors.
"Rick and the rest of the Johnson family are longtime supporters of Indiana University," said Foundation President Gene Tempel. "His business acumen and dedication to our mission will be valuable assets to our Foundation's board.
Johnson created Johnson Ventures jointly with his father, Dick L. Johnson, Sr., who passed away in 2009. Johnson Ventures is a private company that makes long-term investments in successful companies that are leaders in their industries and are located in Indiana and surrounding states. Its portfolio of companies has included Indiana Limestone Company, Stone Center of Indiana, Johnson Construction Materials, Central Restaurant Products, and AuthorHouse.
Johnson received a B.S. in Management and Administration from the IU Kelley School of Business in 1981. After graduating, he joined the family-owned Johnson Oil Company, which began as a small distributor of Shell Oil petroleum products to the Columbus, Ind. area. During the 1980s, the company's Bigfoot convenience store chain grew into one of the largest privately owned convenience store/gasoline chains in the U.S.
Johnson serves as a board member for Johnson Charitable Foundation, Inc., the Community Education Coalition, Riley Children's Foundation, the Indianapolis Museum of Art, and The Nature Conservancy of Indiana. He is a member of the Columbus Economic Development Board and serves as Community Advisor for Heritage Fund -- The Community Foundation of Bartholomew County. He is also a member of the IU Foundation's 1820 Society and Well House Society.
While a student at IU Bloomington, Johnson belonged to Phi Kappa Psi fraternity. Currently, he serves on the Kelley School of Business Dean's Council and the Johnson Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation Executive Board. Johnson has also donated time as an adjunct professor at the Kelley School of Business, instructing a class in entrepreneurship. He is affiliated with the Bartholomew County Chapter of the IU Alumni Association.
