John Johnson serves M&A clients by marshaling strong community, regional and national relationships combined with a rich professional background in business sales and purchases. John and his Oklahoma-based firm have managed projects for the owners of hundreds of private family and entrepreneurial businesses.
John C. Johnson is Managing Partner and Founder of IBG Business and Bluestem Resources Group, LLC (BluestemUSA), operating IBG’s Oklahoma office. Since 1987, John has provided strategic counsel, facilitated business mergers and acquisitions, and performed business valuations. He has spent nearly three decades as an M&A advisor, advocate and intermediary to business owners.
John’s career began as a roustabout at Amoco Production Company/Standard Oil of Indiana, then in operations research and in field offices while completing his Petroleum Engineering degree. He worked at Champlin Petroleum/Union Pacific Corporation as he earned his MBA at Texas Christian University. At two Fortune 100 companies – Standard of Indiana and Union Pacific – John held staff and management positions in strategy, business investment analysis, and mergers and acquisitions.
John’s expertise has been demonstrated through M&A professional certifications, as a court-appointed receiver, and as an expert in business valuation and petroleum property management. He has written and taught peers in M&A broker courses and has lectured on “best practices” expert panels.
Entrepreneurial/Industry Experience
John was raised in an entrepreneurial family and understands the sacrifices, stress, risks, and hard work business ownership brings to an owner and the owner’s family.
He is an experienced business owner. John owns and manages a land and cattle business with ranch lands, minerals, petroleum, and timber resources. John grew a startup petroleum gathering and distribution venture to a $12 million business before completing a strategic sale. He organized and manages properties for a group that bought distressed petroleum loans from the FDIC. He has bought and resold private businesses in manufacturing, business services, and oil processing.
John was born in Kansas and raised in Tulsa, Oklahoma. His corporate career took him to Dallas-Fort Worth, Denver, New York City, and back to Tulsa before he settled near his northeast Oklahoma ranch. In quiet times, Johns enjoys time with his wife, children and grandchildren as well as fishing, hunting, gardening, and working at their ranch.
Certifications/Licenses
- Merger & Acquisition Master Intermediary (M&AMI): The M&A Source
- Certified Business Intermediary (CBI): International Business Broker Association
- Industry Expert Designation: Business Brokerage Press
- Licensed Real Estate Broker
Honors and Awards
- Acquisition International: USA M&A Broker of the Year
- The M&A Source: Darrell Fouts Award for visionary leadership in the M&A profession
- Tom West Award for exceptional contributions in promoting goals and ethics in business brokerage
- International Business Brokers Association (IBBA): Chairman’s Award for Leadership
- Tulsa’s Small Business Person of the Year: Finalist
- U.S. Small Business Administration: Oklahoma Financial Services Advocate of the Year
Memberships
- The M&A Source: Founding Member, Chairman, Officer, Director, Strategic Issues Task Force Co-Chair
- International Business Brokers Association (IBBA): Fellow; Life Member; President; Member, President’s Advisory Council; Director; Treasurer; Strategic Planning Chair; Co-Author, M&A Course and Certification Exam; Instructor; Speaker and Panelist
- Business Intermediary Education Foundation (BIEF): Founder and Director
- Tulsa Metro Chamber’s Financial Services Advocate of the Year
Business & Community Involvement
- Oklahoma State Chamber of Commerce & Industry: Director
- Oklahoma Academy for State Goals: Director
- Leadership Oklahoma: Graduate, Director, Officer
- Tulsa Executives Association: Director
- Tulsa Economic Development Corporation: Director
- Entrepreneurs of Tulsa: Director & Officer
- Oklahoma Private Enterprise Forum: Director & President
- The Alliance for Manufacturing Excellence: Director
- M&A Joint Industry Campaign for Clarity: Steering Committee Co-Chair
- Rotary International: Paul Harris Fellow; President, Rotary Club of Vinita
- Youth Recreation Association: Director, Coach, Referee
Managing Partner and Principal
"When the opportunity came up to sell my company, I wanted John as my consultant because I knew he had my best interests in mind and I could trust him to help me through the process. … It's hard to put a dollar figure on the mistakes you don't make, but there are definitely mistakes I didn't make by dealing with John and the team that he brought to the table"
