By Debra Solomon Baker
Art Johnson
president & CEO,
AAA
Art Johnson’s father taught him to dream big and to outwork
everyone else.
Obviously, this advice did not fall on deaf ears. After all,
Johnson is now the president and CEO of AAA, what he considers
one of the most respected and reliable organizations in the
world.
He is certainly not alone in that assessment.
In North America alone, there are more than 50 million AAA members.
Johnson, born and raised in St. Louis, oversees 1,400 employees
in a territory that extends across seven states, including Missouri,
Arkansas, Louisiana, and Mississippi. About 800 of those employees
are based in the St. Louis area.
“Our greatest strength is the exceptional dedication of our
employees to deliver on the promise to respond to our members,”
he says. “We provide outstanding customer service every day,
during every transaction, without exception.”
The century-old organization provides a range of travel, automotive,
and insurance services.
Automobile Club of Missouri (which is marketed as AAA) has quite
a history. In 1915, it became the first club in the country
to offer emergency road service, which was performed via motorcycles
and only on Sundays.
Another little-known fact is that the organization employed
Harry Truman, who was paid five dollars for every new membership
that he sold. In 1925, he sold more than 1,000 memberships.
The organization has, obviously come a long way since the days
of Sunday-only road service. Within the past few years, Johnson
has witnessed plenty of exciting developments, particularly
through the advancement of technology. On-the-go services, such
as the replacement of car batteries, have, in many cases, eliminated
the need for towing. All fleet vehicles are also equipped with
Global Positioning System (GPS), enabling them to dispatch services
in a more timely and efficient manner.
Twenty-eight minutes, to be exact. That’s the average amount
of time it takes a truck to arrive on-site, following a member’s
call for emergency service.
As a leader, Johnson believes strongly in doing the right thing
not just for AAA members, but also for its employees. In that
area, too, his father offered him leadership advice that helped
to shape him.
“My father taught me to treat everyone how you want to be treated,”
Johnson says. “That, I believe, is a significant motivator for
people.
“My mother and father were the perfect role models. I have truly
been blessed.”
LEADERSHIP CIRCLE INSIGHTS
During the early years of your career, what was the best
financial advice that you were given?
“Never borrow money to buy a car; by the time you pay it back,
the car won't be worth what you paid. Dad gave me that advice,
so I learned early on, the difference between appreciating assets
and depreciating assets. Of course, Dad also told me never to
spend more than $20,000 on a car—and while I may have gone over
a little, I still try to stick as close to that number as I
can.”
Steven Lipstein
president & CEO,
BJC HealthCare
“Listen carefully to your instincts, but never forget that research
and hard work make the difference between a good decision and
one that could change your financial landscape significantly.”
Steve Roberts
president & COO,
The Roberts Companies
“From a personal standpoint, the best financial advice I received
was to live (spend money) below my means—create a lifestyle
that is below what you earn and invest the difference.
From a business point of view, it was to remember that it is
all about making a profit and the best way to ensure making
a profit is to treat the company’s money as if it were my own
and deliver products and services that delight the customer.”
Scott A. Bell
vice president, Global Sales Programs,
SIEMENS—PLM Software
For more information on the Leadership
Circle, please contact John Diefenbach, vice president-membership,
(314) 444-1184 or jdief@stlrcga.org.
