Join us in recognizing Kent Johnson and the 25th anniversary of his endowment of the Lawrence K Johnson Chair in Entrepreneurship!

The Johnson Chair was generously endowed in 2000 by lifelong entrepreneur and Seattle University graduate Kent L. Johnson in honor of his late father. Since then, the goal of the chair has been to help future entrepreneurs develop the skills and ethical values they need to be successful in their own businesses and to contribute positively to others’ success. 

During Johnson’s time as an adjunct professor at Seattle University’s Alber’s School of Business and Economics, he mentored numerous young entrepreneurs and business leaders including Ann Jarris, CEO and Co-Founder of Discovery Health LLC, James Thompson, President of Alexander Hutton, and Jeff Widmyer, CEO of Ro Health.

Join us to hear from these business leaders on how Johnson and his generous contribution have impacted them and their careers. 

About Founder Friday 

Founder Friday is a recurring event organized by Seattle University's Innovation and Entrepreneurship Center (IEC). Every quarter, the IEC invites Seattle University alumni founders to a fireside chat where they share their entrepreneurial journeys with students, fellow alumni, faculty, and external audiences. All Founder Friday events are free and open to the public. 

About the Johnson Chair 

The Lawrence K. Johnson Chair of Entrepreneurship was created in 2000 and is named in honor of the father of Kent L. Johnson, a Seattle University graduate and successful venture capitalist. Johnson learned valuable lessons about being an entrepreneur from his father’s hard work and business adventures, which inspired him to pursue higher education and a professional career.

The chair is supported by the Innovation and Entrepreneurship Center, which helps new businesses by offering free advice and workshops on important topics like getting investment money, making business plans, understanding taxes, legal issues, and marketing strategies.