Dr. Ed Johnson is president of University Growth Solutions LLC. UGS is dedicated to achieving the preferred futures of America’s independent colleges and universities. UGS partners with motivated institutions to create and execute distinctive, market-driven strategic plans, initiatives and inspiring stories, driven by innovative, long-term revenue stream solutions that will fuel their futures. With client partners, UGS provides turn-key strategic plans, operations solutions and implementation leadership in many areas, including: Structural growth: mergers, acquisitions, joint ventures; Academic growth: consortia, online program start-up or expansion, new market-driven programs, new credentials; Economic development-driven growth: strategic partnerships, corporate employee partnerships, graduates placement pipelines; Real estate-driven growth: Sunbelt branch campuses, campus relocations, facilities sale/leasebacks, student housing, public/private partnerships; Student growth: new markets, improved conversion rates (co-created with IDEO), improved retention, debt reduction programs, international student admissions and institutional partnerships; and Revenue streams growth: new auxiliary income, unrelated business ownership. Dr. Johnson also is president of University Realty Advisors LLC, a firm that advises universities, cities, developers and financers on building branch campuses in the Sunbelt and other real estate needs. His firm represented the City of Peoria (AZ) in attracting Trine University (IN) and Huntington University (IN) to the City. Dr. Johnson currently serves on the boards of Prescott College (AZ), Second Nature (the coordinator of 700 universities moving to carbon neutrality) where he serves as chair; Sias University Foundation (China’s largest private university), and the Association of Universities of Asia and the Pacific. Dr. Johnson previously led three higher education institutions, Sterling College (KS), where he created the first leadership college for Habitat for Humanity International, Everest College Phoenix and Everest University Online. He also served as the Director External Relations at the Arizona State University College of Law where he created the nation’s first Center for Law, Science and Technology, as a senior staff member of the Arizona Board of Regents and as the Executive Director of the Arizona Commission for Postsecondary Education. Dr. Johnson earned his bachelor’s degree from Morningside College (IA), his law degree from Creighton University and his Ph.D. in Higher Education Administration from Arizona State University. Dr. Johnson and his wife, Dr. April Osborn, currently reside in the Willo Historic District in Phoenix. |
