|
|
JoAnne Johnson is a woman in what has been predominantly a man's world. The owner of Johnson Landscaping since it's inception in 1980, Johnson holds the distinction of owning the first North Dakota business to ever receive the Woman's Business Enterprise of the Year Award on both the state & national level.
The national award was presented to Johnson at Washington, D.C. in October. The State award was presented to Johnson in Bismarck, ND. at the Association of Builder's annual convention in December.
The North Dakota Department of Transportation and the Federal Highway Administration (FHA) sponsor the awards. Company experience, proven management abilities & skills, number of projects completed & community involvement are factors considered in the award.
Johnson is actively involved in the community as a member of the Association of General Contractors (AGC) the Minot Chamber of Commerce, Association of Builder's, Minot Builder's Exchange, North Dakota Nursery Association, Minority Contractor's Association, Minot Area Development Corporation, Minot Gun Club, Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation & the Women's Business Institute. She is an experienced public speaker
and was one of the speakers at the AGC annual convention in Fargo.
In accepting both awards, Johnson told the audience she grew up on a farm & was educated in a one-room schoolhouse. Her father, Ray Moffit of rural Minot, told her if she worked hard, was honest, & treated people fair that she could be anything she wanted. "Well, that was then & this is now. My father was right", she said.
He put an angel on my shoulders and gave me wings to fly. Not long ago someone asked me what it was like to be a successful person. Where have you been, what have you done, what it is like today? I believe it's someone that has lived well,
|
|
loved much, & laughed a lot. Richard Carlson writes my favorite book & it's called 'Don't sweat the small stuff'. And it's all small stuff. The last chapter says 'live this day as it if it were your last', it might be." The best present you can give yourself is a friend," said Johnson. She closed by saying " What do I know about life? Paul said in Philippians 6 in the bible, don't worry about anything, pray about everything, tell God your needs, & always remember to thank him for the rewards. Treasure yourself, God bless you, I love each & every one of you & I thank you sincerely from the bottom of my heart".
As Johnson moves into the millennium she puts behind her a year marked by both tragedy & success. The person she would have liked by her side to share the
honor of national recognition wasn't there. Her husband, Dan, had died Dec 21, 1998. "Today, we continue to meet challenge & welcome opportunity with open arms. Our strengths compliment our weaknesses" Johnson said. Going forward wasn't easy but it's important to create new beginnings not endings. Years ago Dan & I hung up a sign that said Open for Business & we had a dream. Walt Disney said 'you can have all your dreams if you have the courage to pursue them. Dan & I were a team, and our skills and abilities complemented one another. Together we made our dream become reality. Today my dream continues."
That dream actually begins in Washburn where the Johnson's first opened their business. "Landscaping is a high risk business in normal circumstances", Johnson said, but North Dakota's weather extremes can make it even more so. The Johnson's quickly decided to diversify, and added equipment & services that allowed them to work in spite of rain or dampness.
"As the years sped by, our dream of expansion slowly became a reality, " said Johnson. "We moved into straw mulching, matting, erosion control, fencing, culverts & other projects on the commercial end of the business. Our skills allowed us to become experienced in drainage and landscape design for residential landscaping. Projects began to take us throughout the state, and we welcomed the challenges & opportunities.
For several years they operated locations at both Washburn and Minot; then 5 years ago they moved the business to the current Minot location.
Reputation means more than anything to Johnson Landscaping. Johnson said. Their goal in the beginning, as it is now, has been to "provide a service or product that meets or exceeds our customer's needs. We'd rather explain the price than apologize for the quality". Our employees pride themselves on working together. For us, keeping our employees happy is as important as keeping our customer's happy.
"I believe that leadership provides the direction of a company, organization provides the potential of a company, but your team of people are the success of the company. We are a team that partnered together to make our dream become a reality.. When she accepted both awards, she did so for the team of people that have made Johnson Landscaping what it is today. "You know a lot of good can be done in this world if we aren't too careful who gets the credit", she said.
|
|
The business currently employees 10 full time people, including 4 year round management staff. In 1999 Johnson Landscaping added a multi-use facility at its site & began running two crews for commercial projects.
Meanwhile, the construction season that began last year demonstrates the credibility that Johnson has worked so hard to attain. Johnson Landscaping hold contracts for commercial projects funded by the Corps of Engineer, Federal Aviation Administration, Minot Air Force Base, state & federal highway departments, & mining & power plants.
Johnson Landscaping Employees will also be busy working with Atherton Construction of Las Vegas on the MAFB housing project, Park Construction Company of Minneapolis on the Devils Lake Flood Control Project & ND DOT projects, Northern Improvement Company of Bismarck, on improvements at Bismarck Airport & Mandan Old Red Trail, Franz Construction of Montana on ND Dot at Killdeer, Border State's Paving of Fargo, on Glenfield ND DOT project, and with Rolac Contracting Inc. on MAFB Youth Facility. Minot area projects include Trinity Hospital, ReliaStar, Hollywood Video, Minot State University, Woodridge Mobile Home Community, Minot area banks & Credit Unions, Denny's, commercial & residential homes & condos projects.
