Christian S. Johansson
Encyclopedia
Christian S. Johansson (born May 9, 1972) is an American government official from Maryland
. With Maryland State Senate advice and consent, Governor Martin O'Malley
appointed Johansson as Secretary of the Maryland Department of Business and Economic Development (DBED) on April 9, 2009, after Johansson had served as DBED's Acting Secretary from January 30 – April 9, 2009. In 2010, Johansson was recognized as an Innovator of the Year by The Daily Record for having “a positive effect and tremendous impact in Maryland” and a Special Advocate at the Top 100 Minority Business Enterprise Awards.
, Sweden
, making his background both multicultural and international. Johansson spent his childhood in Sweden before returning to the U.S. to complete his education. After graduating from Creighton Preparatory School
in Omaha
, Nebraska
, in 1991, Johansson earned a Bachelor’s degree in Biology from Brown University
in 1995 and started his first company directly out of college. He later received a Master of Business Administration degree from Harvard University
in 2002.
Prior to a brief role as Managing Director with Continental Equity, Johansson served for five years as the CEO of the Economic Alliance of Greater Baltimore. When he was selected at age 31, he was one of the youngest in the nation to run a top 20 regional economic development organization. Before joining the Economic Alliance, while in Boston, Johansson was Senior Consultant for the Sag Harbor Group. In 1999, he founded and served as CEO of Inka.net, a venture-backed CRM enterprise software company. In 1995, he founded Dola Health Systems, a medical assessment and consulting company which had operations in Baltimore, Maryland and Stockholm
, Sweden.
Johansson believes in supporting small businesses and leveraging the state’s competitive advantages such as its highly educated workforce and strong federal presence. In March 2011 as Maryland started to emerge from the recession, he stated that “any recovery is dependent on small businesses.” The state’s public education system was ranked best in the country from 2008-2010 and 15.4 percent of Marylanders held advanced degrees in 2008, 2nd best in the country. Additionally, more than 50 federal facilities and 12 major military installations are based in Maryland. With these advantages, Johansson focused on attracting and expanding high technology industries such as biotechnology and aerospace and is working with private partners to brand the state as a hub for cyber security.
To stimulate investment in growing companies, he helped to develop InvestMaryland, an administrative and legislative initiative that will raise investment funds by auctioning tax credits to insurance companies. The program, which passed during the state’s 2011 legislative session, is expected to boost venture capital by more than $70 million for qualified Maryland start-up companies. Johansson stated in an interview that the program could create thousands of jobs and “unlock millions, if not billions of private capital in companies” with the goal of creating the next Under Armour or Google.
Johansson inherited the job in early 2009 during a difficult time when the agency was facing a nearly 10 percent spending reduction in the Governor’s proposed budget and a $2 billion Maryland budget reduction. Preliminary results show that Maryland’s economy is recovering after Johansson took office. A “New and Expanding Businesses in Maryland 2010” report released by the Department on March 3, 2011 showed 364 projects in the state were announced in 2010, a 25 percent increase from 2009. The report also stated that Maryland businesses planned to make more than $4 billion in capital investment and add more than 15,000 jobs.
's transition team in 2008-09 and a member of President Obama's Executive Committee for Urban and Metropolitan Policy.
Cited as one of the Baltimore Business Journal’s “40 Under 40” emerging leaders in 2003, Johansson is single and lives in Baltimore City.
Maryland
Maryland is a U.S. state located in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware to its east...
. With Maryland State Senate advice and consent, Governor Martin O'Malley
Martin O'Malley
Martin Joseph O'Malley is an American Democratic politician who is currently serving as the 61st Governor of Maryland. Previously, he served as the mayor of Baltimore from 1999 to 2007. He is currently the chairman of the Democratic Governors Association.-Early life, education and career:O'Malley...
appointed Johansson as Secretary of the Maryland Department of Business and Economic Development (DBED) on April 9, 2009, after Johansson had served as DBED's Acting Secretary from January 30 – April 9, 2009. In 2010, Johansson was recognized as an Innovator of the Year by The Daily Record for having “a positive effect and tremendous impact in Maryland” and a Special Advocate at the Top 100 Minority Business Enterprise Awards.
Early life, education and career
Johansson, whose mother is African- and Native-American and father is Swedish, was born in MölndalMölndal
Mölndal is a part of the Gothenburg urban area on the west-coast of Sweden, and constitutes the administrative centre of Mölndal Municipality. About 40,000 of the municipality's 60,000 inhabitants live here.-Geography:...
, Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
, making his background both multicultural and international. Johansson spent his childhood in Sweden before returning to the U.S. to complete his education. After graduating from Creighton Preparatory School
Creighton Preparatory School
Creighton Preparatory School , is a private, Jesuit college prep school founded in 1878 for young men. Centrally located in Omaha, Nebraska at 7400 Western Avenue, Prep is the largest Catholic high school in the state of Nebraska, USA with an enrollment of 1,038 young men...
in Omaha
Omaha
Omaha may refer to:*Omaha , a Native American tribe that currently resides in the northeastern part of the U.S. state of Nebraska-Places:United States* Omaha, Nebraska* Omaha, Arkansas* Omaha, Georgia* Omaha, Illinois* Omaha, Texas...
, Nebraska
Nebraska
Nebraska is a state on the Great Plains of the Midwestern United States. The state's capital is Lincoln and its largest city is Omaha, on the Missouri River....
, in 1991, Johansson earned a Bachelor’s degree in Biology from Brown University
Brown University
Brown University is a private, Ivy League university located in Providence, Rhode Island, United States. Founded in 1764 prior to American independence from the British Empire as the College in the English Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations early in the reign of King George III ,...
in 1995 and started his first company directly out of college. He later received a Master of Business Administration degree from Harvard University
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
in 2002.
Prior to a brief role as Managing Director with Continental Equity, Johansson served for five years as the CEO of the Economic Alliance of Greater Baltimore. When he was selected at age 31, he was one of the youngest in the nation to run a top 20 regional economic development organization. Before joining the Economic Alliance, while in Boston, Johansson was Senior Consultant for the Sag Harbor Group. In 1999, he founded and served as CEO of Inka.net, a venture-backed CRM enterprise software company. In 1995, he founded Dola Health Systems, a medical assessment and consulting company which had operations in Baltimore, Maryland and Stockholm
Stockholm
Stockholm is the capital and the largest city of Sweden and constitutes the most populated urban area in Scandinavia. Stockholm is the most populous city in Sweden, with a population of 851,155 in the municipality , 1.37 million in the urban area , and around 2.1 million in the metropolitan area...
, Sweden.
Secretary of Business and Economic Development
During his tenure, the Department re-launched the Maryland Economic Development Commission, and helped create and execute the Federal Facilities Advisory Board, International Advisory Council, and the Governor’s Commission on Small Business. Johansson also helped to craft federal legislation for a $1.5 billion credit provision to the Small Business Jobs Act to expand small business loan guarantee programs nationwide and testified before the House Committee on Financial Services on the issue. Consequently, he joined Governor Martin O’Malley when President Barack Obama signed the bill into law.Johansson believes in supporting small businesses and leveraging the state’s competitive advantages such as its highly educated workforce and strong federal presence. In March 2011 as Maryland started to emerge from the recession, he stated that “any recovery is dependent on small businesses.” The state’s public education system was ranked best in the country from 2008-2010 and 15.4 percent of Marylanders held advanced degrees in 2008, 2nd best in the country. Additionally, more than 50 federal facilities and 12 major military installations are based in Maryland. With these advantages, Johansson focused on attracting and expanding high technology industries such as biotechnology and aerospace and is working with private partners to brand the state as a hub for cyber security.
To stimulate investment in growing companies, he helped to develop InvestMaryland, an administrative and legislative initiative that will raise investment funds by auctioning tax credits to insurance companies. The program, which passed during the state’s 2011 legislative session, is expected to boost venture capital by more than $70 million for qualified Maryland start-up companies. Johansson stated in an interview that the program could create thousands of jobs and “unlock millions, if not billions of private capital in companies” with the goal of creating the next Under Armour or Google.
Johansson inherited the job in early 2009 during a difficult time when the agency was facing a nearly 10 percent spending reduction in the Governor’s proposed budget and a $2 billion Maryland budget reduction. Preliminary results show that Maryland’s economy is recovering after Johansson took office. A “New and Expanding Businesses in Maryland 2010” report released by the Department on March 3, 2011 showed 364 projects in the state were announced in 2010, a 25 percent increase from 2009. The report also stated that Maryland businesses planned to make more than $4 billion in capital investment and add more than 15,000 jobs.
Notable boards, commissions and honors
Johansson serves as a board member for the Carson Scholars Fund. In his position as DBED Secretary, he serves on numerous state boards and commissions, including the Governor's Subcabinet for International Affairs, the Maryland Economic Development Commission, Federal Facilities Advisory Board and many others specified in the Maryland Manual. Johansson was also an advisor to President-elect Barack ObamaBarack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in...
's transition team in 2008-09 and a member of President Obama's Executive Committee for Urban and Metropolitan Policy.
Cited as one of the Baltimore Business Journal’s “40 Under 40” emerging leaders in 2003, Johansson is single and lives in Baltimore City.