Randy J. Johnson

Randy Duane Johnson (born December 15, 1959, in Nampa, Idaho) represented portions of Osceola, Lake and Orange counties in the House of Representatives. Johnson is the former president and CEO of the Central Florida Sports Commission, a sports-related economic development agency that, during his 12-year tenure, grew to be the largest of its kind in America. After his service in the legislature, he acted as chief operating officer of the Osceola Land Company, managing the operation of a 17,000-acre ranch and its subsequent entitlement process.

After moving Central Florida in 1971, Johnson served as a Republican in the House of Representatives, having first been elected in 1998, and was re-elected subsequently. During his tenure in the House, he chaired several committees, including Finance and Tax, Transportation and Economic Development Appropriations, Growth Management and The Select Committee on Post 9/11 Economic Development. [1] Johnson was elected in a conservative Republican sweep that included such notables as Jeb Bush and, Marco Rubio, and subsequently re-elected for three more terms. After his relocation to the Boston area, Randy was elected to his community's local Republican Town Committee and currently serves as their Chairman.

In 2002, he was the only sitting member of the Legislature to change Florida's Constitution. Amendment 2 requires any new constitutional initiative to provide an economic impact statement to the public, prior to the public voting on an amendment. The amendment passed overwhelmingly, receiving 78 percent of the vote. Johnson's amendment was offered when, as Chairman of Transportation and Economic Development Appropriations, he was handed an unfunded constitutional amendment which mandated a 27-billion-dollar high-speed rail expenditure. Johnson's constitutional amendment is credited with preventing passage of several high cost proposals, subsequently saving the state billions of dollars.[1] [2]

In 2004, Johnson served as President of "No Casinos", a statewide coalition opposed to the expansion of gambling in Florida. His group is credited for the subsequent failure of a gaming expansion initiative in Miami-Dade County during the 2005 Legislative Session.

During the 2005 Legislative Session, Johnson led the House effort to pass sweeping new growth management laws. A staunch property rights advocate, the landmark legislation provided a method for developers to fairly pay for the impact that new development has on the surrounding community. He also proposed the creation of the Century Commission, a board of statewide community leaders tasked with addressing future development and environmental problems, as well as providing solutions to the Legislature. For his efforts, he was named 2005 Legislator of The Year by the Florida Association of Realtors.

Ensign Johnson received his Wings of Gold as a Naval Aviator in 1986 and spent nine years in the United States Navy flying over 200 missions aboard the aircraft carriers USS Saratoga (CV-60), USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN-71) and USS Independence(CV-62). During his service, he was decorated for rescue of 5 servicemen lost at sea. In a subsaquent shore tour, Johnson served as Staff Director and aide to two Navy Admirals at Naval Training Center, Orlando. The base was the Navy's primary training facility for newly enlisted young men and women. During His tenure he helped to initiate new standards for the treatment of women in the Navy, changing long held practices that kept women from successful integration into the fleet.

He graduated from the University of Florida in 1981 with his bachelor's degree in Economics. Johnson also completed Masters Studies in Applied Economics (but did not pursue a degree) at the University of Central Florida. Johnson's eldest son Jordan, and daughter, Brooke, both graduated from The University of Florida, as well. Jordan also served as Student Body President at the University of Florida in his Senior Year. Randy Johnson now lives on the Northshore of Boston, Massachusetts with his wife Nichelle and their son Warren, born in 2013.