The  Parker Center for Family Business, an affiliate of UNM Anderson School  of Management, assists family-owned business find solutions to the daily  problems they experience when working with their family members. As  part of this mission, we offer bi-monthly programs designed to address  those issues. This month's speaker will be Debbie Johnson, one of the  most highly respected experts on marketing in the nation. Her program,  "Vitamin C's of Marketing" will answer many questions as to how to make  your business more successful.

She and her late husband, Rick, grew their partnership, Rick Johnson  Company with offices in Albuquerque and Phoenix, to a behemoth of the  Southwest. Together they founded eight additional independent  marketing-related businesses delivering media monitoring, video  production, point of purchase materials, anthropological research and  digital adaption as some of the many types of marketing services. As a  family-owned business Johnson knows many of the issues facing such  companies. After the RJC was sold Johnson created and ran the Office of  Entrepreneurial and Economic Development at CNM and helped found the  CNMI, the first community college enterprise arm in the country.  Currently, Ms. Johnson is Vice President of Connections for Albuquerque Publishing Company.

Parker Center for Family Business will host family business  members and advisors of family-owned businesses August 15, 2024 from  12—1:00 at Mountain States Bldg, 5051 Journal Center NE, first floor  training room with lunch is being hosted by PCFB. We request your  registration at LParker@rsabq.com, but not required.

Debbie Johnson:

• Is  a second-generation graduate of UNM with a BA in Journalism and  Communication Education.  Taught high school journalism and English,  while working for the Associated Press and as a columnist for the  Albuquerque Tribune.  Won the Distinguished Graduate Award from the J  school for that column, and for creating an accompanying live on-air  talk show called “The Women’s Room,” which ran for over nine years on  KKOB AM radio.  Helped create the “Rick and Debbie Johnson Marketing  Lab” for the new Mckinnon Center at the Anderson School of Business.  Sponsored a fund-raising event for the school called “A Taste of  Anderson,” for five years.  Currently sits on the Dean’s Council of  Excellence at ASM.
• Co-owned  and managed the region’s largest advertising agency with late husband  and partner Rick Johnson for over thirty five years.  Opened offices in  ABQ and Phoenix, and served clients in NM, AZ, Texas, Colorado and  California.  Won over 1000 state, local, national and international  awards for creativity and effectiveness of marketing campaigns.  Was one  of only eleven ad agencies in the US to handle local store marketing  for McDonald’s groups in three states. Was the first LSM agency to  create a bi-lingual ad for Spanish and network television stations.  “Su  Familia” ran in several markets and prompted the McDonald’s corporation  to add green chile to the menu in New Mexico.
• Grew  RJC to be ranked one of the “Top Agencies” in the US by both  Advertising Age and Ad Week magazines.  Was invited to membership in  AAAI, Affiliated Advertising Agencies International, the largest agency  association in the world.  Was elected the first female Chairman of the  Board of AAAI, and presided over meetings in Tokyo, London and Hawaii.   Initiated the first multi-country creative team to develop a worldwide  peace campaign for the United Nations.
• Founded  eight media and marketing-related independent businesses with Rick  and/or other professional partners and co-operated seven of those for  over a decade. Delivered unique services in media monitoring, video  production, point of purchase materials, anthropological research and  digital adaptation and more.
• Created  and ran the Office of Entrepreneurial and Economic Development at CNM  for seven years and became a certified Entrepreneurial Mindset  Instructor.  Helped lead the team that founded CNMI, the first community  college enterprise arm in the country.  Initiated the acquisition and  expansion of the first community college Coding Bootcamp in America,  lowering the tuition cost fifty percent.
• Currently  works as Vice President of Connections for Albuquerque Publishing  Company, the Albuquerque Journal holding company, wherein she  facilitates community relationships and partnerships.  She is also a  team member to maximize digital and multi-media growth opportunities for  the 98 year old newspaper group.
• Has  served on over a dozen corporate and community boards and chaired  most.  Was elected the first female Chairman of AED (now AREA); the  first corporate chair of the NM Better Business Bureau; named a  “Trailblazer” by the local chapter of the National Association of Women  Business Owners and named one of the Top 500 Women-owned businesses by  “Working Woman” magazine.
• Has  served on numerous public and/or government-related boards and  committees, for different administrations and parties.  Served on four  Governor’s Advisory Boards and was named a Colonel Aide de Camp by  Governor Bruce King.  Was appointed by Governor Suzanna Martinez to  co-chair the New Mexico Economic Development Partnership board, then  re-appointed by current Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham. Mayor Martin  Chavez designated June 16, 2002 as “Rick and Debbie Johnson Week,”  recognizing our work on Albuquerque’s Tricentennial.
• Has  received numerous honors and awards including AREA’s “Lifetime  Leadership Award,” National Jewish Hospital’s “Spirit of  Achievement”; is a Silver Medalist from the NM Advertising Federation,  and been named a “Woman of Influence,” Woman on the Move,”  “Power  Broker,” and “Glass Ceiling Breaker.”  She placed in the top 12 female  sprinters in the 200-meter race at the National Senior Olympics held in  NM in 2010.