Willis Johnson

Willis J. Johnson (born 1947) is an American billionaire businessman.[1] He is the founder and former chief executive of Copart, a vehicle salvage and auction company, founded in 1982.[2][3]

Willis Johnson
Born
Willis J. Johnson

1947 (age 74–75)
Oklahoma, U.S.
Political partyRepublican
Spouse(s)Joyce Johnson
RelativesJay Adair (son-in-law)
Military service
Allegiance United States
Service/branch United States Army
Battles/warsVietnam War
AwardsPurple Heart

Early life and career

Born in 1947, Johnson received his early education from a high school in California.[1] Johnson then joined the Army and served a year-long tour in Vietnam which earned him a Purple Heart.[1]

Johnson is politically conservative and supports the Republican Party.[1] Since 2001, he has contributed at least $1.5 million to different conservative causes.[1]

In 2015, he co-founded now defunct on-demand household chore app, Takl.[4]

In 2019, he contributed $50,000 to the 'Trump Victory', a political action committee.[1]

In 2021, he donated $1 million to South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem to fund a National Guard deployment to the Texas/Mexico border.[5][6]

Assets

In 2010, he bought an 18,600 square foot mansion in Nashville for $28 million from American country singer Alan Jackson.[7]

Johnson also owns a 79-acre vineyard in Suisun Valley, California.[7]

Personal life

Johnson is married to Joyce, whom he married after returning from the Vietnam War.[4] Johnson is a practising Christian.[4]

His son-in-law, Jay Adair, is the chief executive officer (CEO) of Copart, and owns shares in the company worth more than $800 million.[1]

References
  1. Vickers, Emma. "This man is a junkyard billionaire". Bloomberg.
  2. Dellaverson, Carlo (April 23, 2008). "On the Line: Copart CEO Willis Johnson". CNBC.
  3. "Turning rust into gold". Bloomberg Businessweek.
  4. McGee, Jamie. "Franklin businessman shifts to on-demand tech with Takl". The Tennessean.
  5. "Pentagon, National Guard Silent on Whether Troops Are for Hire After GOP Billionaire Funds Border Mission". Steve Beynon. 2 July 2021. Retrieved 12 September 2021.
  6. "Billionaire GOP Donor Bankrolls National Guard Border Deployment". WJ Hennigan. 29 June 2021. Retrieved 12 September 2021.
  7. "Country star's palace sells for $28M". Nashville Post.


This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.