Laureate Lynn Johnson: Q&A by Russ Slaten.

• Author: Slaten, Russ
• Position: SPECIAL SECTION: Junior Achievement - Interview

Alaska Business Monthly: How did you get your start?

Johnson: I grew up in California and came to Alaska the first time when I was fourteen years old working in my parents' civilian helicopter business. I enjoyed that. That was a big deal, coming from central California in the late '60s. I got to know a lot of people and really liked coming to Alaska every summer. It was an annual pilgrimage, and in the course of doing that I met the gentleman [Ed Clinton] I ended up starting our company with, Dowland-Bach. First came to Alaska in 1968 and was presented with the concept of joining him and starting a business five years after he initially mentioned it. We started the business in May of 1975.

Alaska Business Monthly: What was it like growing up in California?

Johnson: I grew up in central California, San Joaquin Valley, very agriculturally-oriented. My grandparents emigrated there from Sweden. My parents were from a little place called Turlock, California, in the hot and dry San Joaquin Valley. I was fortunate that when I was a junior in high school--through a family situation--I came up to Alaska every summer throughout high school and college and ended up moving here permanently in 1974 and started our business [Dowland-Bach] a year later.

Alaska Business Monthly: Did you have a role model growing up? Do you think young people benefit from role models?

Johnson: What I have done is look at different people over the years and said, in this sector, I want to be like this person in regard to business and like this person in regard to personal relationships--many different people for many different reasons. A few of my role models were my stepfather, my dad, and Ed Clinton; he was fifteen years older than me.

Somewhat as a joke and somewhat as a compliment, I tell a lot of my peers, 'I want to be just like you when I grow up.' And again you don't want to be exactly like somebody, because everyone has an Achilles heel or blemish. It's not bad, but you do benefit from role models.

Alaska Business Monthly: Did you have Junior Achievement in school? If so, what do you remember?

Johnson: Junior Achievement wasn't prevalent in my time, but I support the Junior Achievement's values to educate younger people in business.

Alaska Business Monthly: Do you believe there is value in educating young people about free enterprise? If so, why?

Johnson: There is value in educating teens about free enterprise because there are certain risks to being an...