Glen D. Johnson Jr. (born April 20, 1954) is the former Oklahoma Speaker of the House of Representatives and former

Chancellor Chancellor () is a title of various official positions in the governments of many countries. The original chancellors were the of Roman courts of justice—ushers, who sat at the (lattice work screens) of a basilica (court hall), which separa ...

of the

Oklahoma State System of Higher Education The Oklahoma State System of Higher Education is the state's legal structure for providing public education at the College Level Examination Program, collegiate level. It is a coordinated system of colleges and universities located throughout th ...

, succeeded by

Allison Garrett Allison Dabbs Garrett (born 1964) is an American attorney, inventor, educator, and the former chancellor of the Oklahoma State System of Higher Education. She previously served as the 17th president of Emporia State University from January 2016 to ...

a state system of colleges and universities in Oklahoma. In 1996, Johnson was the Democratic party nominee for US Congress in the Second Congressional District of Oklahoma, defeated by

Tom Coburn Thomas Allen Coburn (March 14, 1948 – March 28, 2020) was an American politician and medical doctor, physician who served as a United States senator from Oklahoma from 2005 to 2015. A Republican Party (United States), Republican, Coburn ...

Early life and education

Born in Oklahoma City, Johnson is the son of former U.S. Congressman Glen D. Johnson Sr. and Imogene Johnson. He graduated from

Muskogee High School Muskogee High School (MHS) is a three-year public high school in Muskogee, Oklahoma, U.S.. It is accredited by the Oklahoma State Department of Education and the Oklahoma Secondary School Activities Association. Muskogee High School is part o ...

in 1972. He completed his bachelor's degree in

political science Political science is the scientific study of politics. It is a social science dealing with systems of governance and Power (social and political), power, and the analysis of political activities, political philosophy, political thought, polit ...

at the

University of Oklahoma The University of Oklahoma (OU) is a Public university, public research university in Norman, Oklahoma, United States. Founded in 1890, it had existed in Oklahoma Territory near Indian Territory for 17 years before the two territories became the ...

and then obtained his Juris Doctor from the

Oklahoma City University School of Law Oklahoma City University School of Law, also known as OCU Law, is the law school of Oklahoma City University. OCU Law is located in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, and was founded in 1907. OCU Law was located in the Sarkeys Law Center on t ...

. During his college years, he was a member of the

Phi Beta Kappa The Phi Beta Kappa Society () is the oldest academic honor society in the United States. It was founded in 1776 at the College of William & Mary in Virginia. Phi Beta Kappa aims to promote and advocate excellence in the liberal arts and sciences, ...

Society and is currently serves on the National Foundation board of directors of the

Alpha Tau Omega Alpha Tau Omega (), commonly known as ATO, is an American social Fraternities and sororities, fraternity founded at the Virginia Military Institute in 1865 by Otis Allan Glazebrook. The fraternity has around 250 active and inactive chapters an ...

fraternity.

Career

Johnson founded Oklahoma Foundation for Excellence in 1986 and previously was a member of the Oklahoma Hall of Fame's Executive Board of Directors and the Oklahoma State Fair Board of Directors respectively. From 1982 to 1996, Johnson was a member of the

Oklahoma House of Representatives The Oklahoma House of Representatives is the lower house of the legislature of the U.S. state of Oklahoma. Its members introduce and vote on bills and resolutions, provide legislative oversight for state agencies, and help to craft the state's ...

, and, in 1990, became Speaker of the State House at age 36, the youngest in the state's history (at the time). Johnson is the 8th Chancellor of the

having assumed the position in January, 2007. He previously served ten years as the 16th president of

Southeastern Oklahoma State University Southeastern Oklahoma State University (Southeastern or SE) is a public university in Durant, Oklahoma. It had a total enrollment of 5,376 in 2022. History On March 6, 1909, the Second Oklahoma State Legislature approved an act designating Du ...

Durant, Oklahoma Durant () is a city in Bryan County, Oklahoma, United States. The population was 18,589 in the 2020 census. It serves as the capital of the Choctaw Nation, and is the largest settlement on the reservation, ranking ahead of McAlester and Po ...

. In 2012, Johnson was elected to the

Southern Regional Education Board The Southern Regional Education Board (SREB) is a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization based in Atlanta, Georgia, that works to improve education at every level in its 16 states: Alabama, Arkansas, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, M ...

of which he still a vice chairman. In 2014, the Association of Governing Boards of Universities and Colleges have appointed Johnson to its Council of Presidents and the same year he was elected to the State Higher Education Executive Officers' Executive Committee. In 2019, Johnson announced his retirement, which began in fall of 2020.

Personal life

Glen Johnson Jr. lives in

Oklahoma City Oklahoma City (), officially the City of Oklahoma City, and often shortened to OKC, is the List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of municipalities in Oklahoma, most populous city of the U.S. state of Oklahoma. The county seat ...

with his wife Melinda Pierce, a school teacher at Edmond Memorial High School. Johnson was inducted into the

Oklahoma Hall of Fame The Oklahoma Hall of Fame was founded in 1927 by Anna B. Korn to officially celebrate Statehood Day, recognize Oklahomans dedicated to their communities, and provide educational programming for all ages. The first Oklahoma Hall of Fame Induction Cer ...

in 2006 and ten years later was also inducted into the Oklahoma Higher Education Hall of Fame. Johnson was succeeded as President of the Durant campus by Michael D. Turner.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Johnson, Glen D. Jr. 1954 births Living people Heads of Oklahoma state agencies Politicians from Oklahoma City Presidents of Southeastern Oklahoma State University Speakers of the Oklahoma House of Representatives 20th-century members of the Oklahoma House of Representatives