This year, Brad and Audrey Johnson are the stars of the Lakeville business community. The Lakeville Area Chamber of Commerce bestowed the 2008 Business Persons of the Year award on the couple at its annual membership meeting and holiday dinner.
Past recipients meet annually to pick the next award winner, chosen for improving the business climate and making the community a better place to live and work. The Johnsons were chosen because their real estate investment business, Johnson Companies, has provided places for residents to live and spaces for new businesses to open.
The couple launched their local real estate investments in 1966 with $5,500 when they built the Village Dweller Apartments. They have since developed 154 apartment units in downtown Lakeville, and they opened the Johnson Office Building in 1974. That building houses 20 small businesses. They also own the Granada Center in Apple Valley.
Brad Johnson is a past president of the chamber and served as a volunteer firefighter for 25 years. Audrey Johnson, who previously had a career in human resources management, took over the real estate investment business in 1999 when her husband suffered a brain injury. She is known for providing opportunities to women through mentoring and college and career planning.
KATIE HUMPHREY
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