Ron “Butch” Johnson was inducted into Alpha Phi Alpha at the University of Missouri at Rolla (UMR) in 1966, where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering. Following graduation from the University of Missouri at Rolla, Ron joined ExxonMobil Chemicals (formerly Enjay Chemicals) in Houston, Texas. Ron continued his education on a part time basis, attending the University of Houston and obtained a Masters in Mechanical Engineering in 1975.
Early in his ExxonMobil career, Ron developed a keen interest in process computer controls and how it could be used to optimize heat integration and conserve energy. Ron’s pursuit of his interests allowed him to fashion a 33-year career out of mainframe, midrange, and desktop computing infrastructure and integrated applications. He has served in various supervisory and management capacities during his career. Most notably, Ron managed the litigation support services in the Law Department for the corporation during the Valdez oil spill case; employing innovative document imaging and text capturing techniques for the legal defense teams. Ron has served on the advisory board for the Gulf Coast United Way of Texas and as an advisor for UMR’s Committee for the Recruitment and Retention of Minority Students.
Ron was inducted into the Academy of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering at the University of Missouri at Rolla in 2003, where he has served as the Membership Chairman.
