Lloyd K. Johnson was born and raised in Grand Marais, graduated from its high school in 1925, and completed his formal education at the University of Minnesota with both an undergraduate degree and a law degree.
Lloyd began his professional career as the Cook County attorney, died in 2006 at the age of 97 and left substantial, enduring and highly visible endowments throughout Northeast Minnesota.
Mr. Johnson’s accomplishments and contributions include the purchase of substantial amounts of tax-forfeit land leading to significant growth of the Superior National Forest and which supported the creation of the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness; the High Falls land transfer which helped create Minnesota’s Grand Portage State Park; the transfer of Susie Islands to The Nature Conservancy; and the acquisition of significant land for the development of three of Minnesota’s Taconite plants including 50,000 acres for Oglebay Norton’s plant in Silver Bay.
Also, Lloyd in partnership with Bill Smith developed the Mt. Royal shopping center in Duluth and with Don McDonald, transitioned the Zenith Shipbuilding Company in Duluth to forest products manufacturing operation (Superwood), until its sale to Georgia Pacific in 1986.
In Grand Marais, Lloyd planned and had built the Johnson Heritage Post at the location of his parents’ original trading post to showcase his mother’s art and provide a venue for local artists. The Johnson Heritage Post was then donated to the Cook County Historical Society as a lasting legacy for the community to celebrate art and showcase regional artists.
Much of Lloyd’s impact is not well understood or remembered however with the creation of a family foundation in 1975, Lloyd began regular contributions to favorite charities that positively impacted North Shore communities.
At the event of Lloyd’s passing in 2006, substantial resources were transferred to the Lloyd K. Johnson Foundation, and the Foundation’s board hired its first director, Joan Gardner-Goodno. The board and staff then began the formal development of a grant-making process to direct resources to nonprofit entities throughout Cook, Lake, and Southern St. Louis counties.
The Foundation board also followed through in 2008 on an expressed desire of Mr. Johnson to develop a scholarship for graduating seniors at Cook County High School. Since the scholarship was established, 49 Cook County High School seniors have been awarded a full scholarship by the Foundation.
The Foundation currently has assets of approximately $25,000,000, awards grants of about $1,000,000 annually with priorities in education and community and economic development. Its seven-member board of directors includes three from Cook County: Bill Hansen, Scott Harrison, and Steve Surbaugh. Check out the Foundation’s website (www.lloydkjohnsonfoundation.org) or call the Foundation’s office (218.726.9000) with any questions.
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