Ronald Johnson

Ronald Johnson is an Associate Teaching Professor in the Department of Management and Organization at Penn State University’s Smeal College of Business. With a career spanning over three decades, he specializes in leadership development, ethics, sustainability, and organizational strategy. He teaches core courses for 1,500–2,000 undergraduate students annually and leads the Global Leadership Competency program for upper-level students. His awards include the 2022 Fred Brand Teaching Award and multiple recognitions for ethics and sustainability instruction.

Education:

• Bachelor of Science in Business Management, Oral Roberts University (1981)
• MBA, The Pennsylvania State University (1992)
• Master of Health Administration (MHA), The Pennsylvania State University (1997)

Research & Expertise: Johnson focuses on leadership competencies, sustainability integration in business education, ethics, and global business trends. He advises the Smeal Net Impact Chapter and co-hosts the Smeal Citizenship Conference, fostering discussions on corporate responsibility and integrity. His work spans Fortune 1000 companies, with collaborations at Toyota, IBM, Boeing, and others.

Awards & Recognition:

• Rise Above Faculty Ethics Award (2022)
• Smeal Faculty Sustainability Award
• Fred Brand Teaching Award (2022)
• Student-organization accolades from diverse groups

Additional Roles: Host of Smeal Industry Advisory Board meetings with PepsiCo, IBM, and Hershey; speaker at ASTD, SHRM, and NASA leadership forums; former Executive Vice President of a construction firm.