Timothy E. Johnson founded Johnson Investment Counsel Inc. on integrity and competence.
Today, more than 40 years later, those principles still guide him as he has built the company into Ohio’s largest privately held, independent wealth management firm.
When he started his financial advisory company in the 1960s, he had just one client whom he worked with after his day job as a professor.
In 1970, he took a position at the University of Cincinnati and began to slowly attract new clients. His business grew via word of mouth, and in 1980, he moved Johnson Investment Counsel from his home into an office.
Despite the revenue potential, Johnson didn’t want to sell high-fee, low-return mutual funds, so he created his own low-fee funds. They didn’t make any money for the company, but did gain it more advisory work from satisfied clients. When he saw a client need for affordable trust alternatives, Johnson Trust was formed.
Johnson never set out to be the biggest, only the best. And he’s succeeded based on his personal standards, which have become Johnson Investment Counsel’s core values:
- The highest level of integrity, honesty and morality
- Extraordinary client service
- The pursuit of excellence
- Continuous improvement and innovation
- His employees’ relationships with God, their family, the community and each other.
Johnson has obviously succeeded, as he has developed a successful firm based on competence and integrity first, allowing growth and profit to follow naturally.
How to reach: Johnson Investment Counsel Inc., (800) 541-0170 or www.johnsoninv.com
