Charles Chuck Johnson

CHARLES C. JOHNSON, P.E.

Assistant Surgeon General

Rear Admiral, USPHS (ret.)

Charles C. Johnson, known to his colleagues and friends as "C.C.", was the first African American PHS officer to serve as an agency head in the Public Health Service when nominated by President Lyndon Johnson to serve as the Administrator of the Consumer Protection and Environmental Health Service within the Department of Health, Education and Welfare, now the Department of Health and Human Services.

Mereen-Johnson Swedish co-founder Charles Johnson came to America in 1882 at age 16 with a life savings of only $1.50.According to historic information from Mereen-Johnson and Charles Johnson's grandson Charles "Chuck" Johnson, one of the first things Charles did upon arriving was to use a dollar to buy new shoes.In a strange country, with a meager 50 cents, he set out to make his fortune.Charles Johnson worked a wide variety of jobs in railroads, lumber, copper mines and a blast furnace works.He did this all while taking night classes to learn English.His drive and dedication helped inspire Mereen-Johnson's philosophy of innovation and service-a legacy which has continued for 100 years.His wife Sarah, and sons Roy and Art, and grandson Chuck all continued with the business.In 1987 Russ McBroom stepped in and is current president and Chuck was named Board Chair.
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Mereen-Johnson was incorporated in Minneapolis in 1905 by Charles Johnson and Arno Mereen.According to Chuck Johnson the founding fathers met a decade before while working at a sawmill, and entrepreneurial spirit and vision revealed an untapped market for manufacturing equipment.With assistance from their former employer C.A. Smith Lumber and local investors, the two brought their business idea into reality.C.A. Smith was named president, Arno Mereen served as Vice-President, and Charles Johnson as Treasurer of the newly incorporated Mereen-Johnson.

Contact: Charles Johnson, P.E. ,President E-mail: cjohnson@wrjinc.com

Charles Johnson - Treasurer

Mereen-Johnson Swedish co-founder Charles Johnson came to America in 1882 at age 16 with a life savings of only $1.50.According to historic information from Mereen-Johnson and Charles Johnson's grandson Charles "Chuck" Johnson, one of the first things Charles did upon arriving was to use a dollar to buy new shoes.In a strange country, with a meager 50 cents, he set out to make his fortune.Charles Johnson worked a wide variety of jobs in railroads, lumber, copper mines and a blast furnace works.He did this all while taking night classes to learn English.His drive and dedication helped inspire Mereen-Johnson's philosophy of innovation and service-a legacy which has continued for 100 years.His wife Sarah, and sons Roy and Art, and grandson Chuck all continued with the business.In 1987 Russ McBroom stepped in and is current president and Chuck was named Board Chair.
...
Mereen-Johnson was incorporated in Minneapolis in 1905 by Charles Johnson and Arno Mereen.According to Chuck Johnson the founding fathers met a decade before while working at a sawmill, and entrepreneurial spirit and vision revealed an untapped market for manufacturing equipment.With assistance from their former employer C.A. Smith Lumber and local investors, the two brought their business idea into reality.C.A. Smith was named president, Arno Mereen served as Vice-President, and Charles Johnson as Treasurer of the newly incorporated Mereen-Johnson.