Richard Claude Johanson: Forward thinker, veteran, teacher

— Richard Claude Johanson specialized in planning, even on family road trips, his son Bruce Johanson said.

“He was the kind of person that had everything planned out,” his son said. “We went on vacations, and the itinerary was laid out ... he was really a forward thinker in pretty much everything he was working on.”

Th is mentality led Richard Johanson to successful careers in business. He was also a professor at the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville for 20 years, his son said.

Johanson died Tuesday from kidney failure at Butterfield Trail Village, a retirement community in Fayetteville. He was 85.

Born Aug. 10, 1924, to Claus Leonard and Mildred Oulman Johanson in Minneapolis, he was the older of two siblings. He graduated from Minneapolis, Washburn High School in 1942 and attended Carleton College in Northfield, Minn., his son said.

While in college in 1943, he joined the Army Air Corps - now the U.S. Air Force. A member of the 379th Bomb Group, he flew several missions in B-17s as a navigator in World War II, his son said.

The missions “were important because a lot of them were over Berlin so it was critical for them to hit their targets,” he said, adding that his father had flown on 25 missions.

After an honorable discharge in 1945, Johanson took a few classes at the University of Minnesota before transferring to Southern Methodist University in Dallas where he earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees in business administration, his son said.

While attending college, he met his future wife, Shirley Johnson, in typing class, Bruce Johanson said. They married on Dec. 23, 1947. They had five children.

After graduating from Southern Methodist University, he worked as the supervisor of industrial relations for the Ford Motor Co. assembly plant in Dallas.

While at the company, the military requested that he serve in the Military Air Transport Service during the Korean War, his son said. Johanson was stationed in Montana and flew transport planes to Tokyo and South Asia.

In 1953, he returned to Ford and worked there for a few more years before becoming vice president of personnel and planning for the Continental-Emsco Co. - an oil drilling and supply company in Dallas - for 12 years, said his other son, Blair Johanson.

While working for that company, he took night classes at North Texas State University - now the University of North Texas - earning a Ph.D. in strategic management in 1969, Blair Johanson said.

Richard Johanson realized his love for teaching while training workers and became a business professor at the University of Arkansas in 1969, Blair Johanson said.

Johanson taught several classes, including personnel management, strategic management and his favorite, business policy, Bruce Johanson said.

“He brought 20 years of experience with him into the classrooms so he had real stories and situations that made the course come alive,” he said. “He enjoyed being able to provide that knowledge to the students.”

Johanson retired in 1989.

Throughout his life, he created many organizations including the management consulting firm Johanson Associates - now called the Johanson Group - in Fayetteville in 1973. Blair and Bruce Johanson are the current principals of the company.

Always inquisitive, Johanson strived to help others attain personal growth, Blair Johanson said.

“He really enjoyed giving people opportunities to capitalize on their talents and help people grow,” he said. “His focus was to really help people reach their potential.”

Arkansas, Pages 14 on 07/23/2010

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