James William Johnson attended the University of Saint Thomas (1958-1962), the University of Minnesota (1962-1963), and the business school at Columbia University (1968-1969), where he earned an MBA degree. He worked as marketing operations manager at the 3M Company (1963-1981), and as director of new business development at the Bemis Company, Inc. (1981-1984). He founded and served as chief executive officer of AMADOR Corporation (1984-1994), a scientific testing and certification company. Johnson served as mayor and as planning commissioner for the City of Marine on St. Croix, Minnesota, and was a member of the St. Croix Intergovernmental Planning Conference and the Minnesota-Wisconsin Boundary Area Commission. He was president of the St. Croix River Association, a member of the St. Croix Valley Interstate Chapter of the Sierra Club, and a member of the National Park Service's planning team for the 20-year master plan for the preservation and management of the Lower St. Croix National Scenic Riverway.
Laura Ingersoll Johnson was born in St. Paul. She graduated from the College of St. Catherine, and taught at Stillwater (Minnesota) Junior High School for 12 years. She served as president of the Marine Restoration Society, and was co-chair of Marine's sesquicentennial celebration.
From the guide to the James Wm. and Laura Ingersoll Johnson papers., 1901-2007 (bulk 1976-2001)., (Minnesota Historical Society)
