April 26, 2013 – Minneapolis, MN – Jill J. Johnson, president and founder of Johnson Consulting Services, a Minneapolis, Minnesota-based management consulting firm, is one of the inaugural 25 women inducted into the newly established Minnesota Women Business Owners Hall of Fame (www.mnhalloffame.com).
She was inducted into the hall of fame in a ceremony hosted by business owner and WCCO radio personality Roshini Rajkumar on April 25, 2013 at Cargill’s World Headquarters in Wayzata, Minn. Johnson was honored for a career dedicated to business leadership and mentorship, as well as her advocacy on behalf of Minnesota business women.
The Minnesota Women Business Owners Hall of Fame honors Minnesota’s most successful female entrepreneurs and advocates who have made significant and enduring contributions to impact women’s entrepreneurial development in Minnesota. Twenty-five women were among the first group inducted – 20 living and 5 posthumous.
“This is an extraordinary honor to be included with these other amazing women,” said Johnson. “As the youngest of this inaugural group of inductees, it is humbling to reflect on the 150 years of Minnesota business history that are represented in this esteemed company. Many of the women that were selected for this Hall of Fame were role models and an inspiration to me in my early career. They shaped my views of how to become a successful woman entrepreneur and be a leader within our business community.”
Johnson’s business drive was cultivated early in life, shaped by her grandfather and father’s example as business owners. Her budding career started at eight years old when she began working in her family’s auto body repair shop sweeping a broom and running errands. After completing her MBA and working in the management consulting division of one of the world’s largest CPA firms, Johnson fulfilled her dream of establishing her own business. Johnson currently serves as president and founder of Johnson Consulting Services, an award-winning management consulting firm that specializes in strategy development. Johnson has personally impacted nearly $3 billion worth of business decisions for clients located in 21 states, as well as in Europe and Asia.
Johnson was president of NAWBO-MN in 1990 and served for three years on the National NAWBO board of directors. Johnson was elected as a Minnesota delegate to the 1995 White House Conference on Small Business. She has been on the board of directors of many organizations including the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce and the Greater Minneapolis Chamber of Commerce. Jill is currently serving on her second federal board for the U.S. Small Business Administration. She is also chair of the Minnesota Department of Employment & Economic Development’s State Small Business Development Center Advisory Board.
At age 29, Johnson was named Minnesota’s Young Entrepreneur of the Year by the U.S. Small Business Administration. She was honored as National NAWBO’s National Women’s Business Advocate of the Year in 1993. She was named the National Woman Business Owner Advocate of the Year in 1994 by the U.S. Small Business Administration. Johnson is one of the few people nationwide to have ever received this dual honor from the SBA. Johnson is the only Minnesota woman to have ever earned either of these national awards. The Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal named Johnson one of 25 Women Industry Leaders in 2010, and she was chosen one of Finance and Commerce’s Top Women in Finance in 2011. Johnson is one of only a few Minnesota women to have ever received both of these prestigious awards.
Jill Johnson, president of Johnson Consulting Services, honored for her business savvy, leadership, and advocacy for women entrepreneurs.
About Johnson Consulting Services: An award winning management consultant specializing in market-based strategy development, Jill J. Johnson has personally impacted nearly $3 billion worth of business decisions. She is an expert at strategic planning, conducting market studies, turnaround studies and marketing audits, as well as developing strategies for growth. Jill assists her clients in evaluating critical decisions and assessing the impact of market forces to develop strategic and business plans at both the board and operating level. For more information, visit www.jcs-usa.com.
About the Minnesota Women Business Owners Hall of Fame: Founded in 2013, the Minnesota Women Business Owners Hall of Fame honors and recognizes Minnesota’s most successful female entrepreneurs and their advocates who have made significant and enduring contributions to impact women’s entrepreneurial development in Minnesota. It is the most prestigious awards recognition for Minnesota’s Women Entrepreneurs. For more information visit www.MNHallofFame.org.
