Dr. Arthur Wayne Johnson
Dr. Arthur Wayne Johnson is a true commonsense conservative, experienced public servant, accomplished businessman, U.S. Army veteran, and proud native of Middle Georgia.
Wayne amassed over 40 years of experience as an entrepreneur, senior executive and CEO of multiple businesses, both domestic and international, in the consumer finance and customer service support industries. During his career Wayne caused more than 10,000 high paying jobs to be created. He knows how to run organizations efficiently and effectively and wants to bring this solutions-oriented approach to the United States House of Representatives.
Wayne’s federal government experience was serving as a senior official and as the Chief Strategy and Transformation Officer and Chief Operating Officer for the Department of Education’s Office of Federal Student Aid. In this capacity he was responsible for the largest provider of student financial aid in the country, deploying more $110 billion per year in student funding support.
While at the U.S. Department of Education, Wayne successfully led thousands of employees whose mission was to make college education accessible and affordable for millions of Americans. Wayne’s professional career in this area has given him first-hand knowledge of how to make higher education more cost-effective so that students and their families receive an education that improves their long-term employment prospects without taking on crushing levels of debt.
Wayne is a U.S. Army Veteran, is an Eagle Scout and a product of Georgia’s public education system. Johnson was commissioned as an officer in the U.S. Army – serving on active duty in Texas, Alaska, and Georgia. His initial branch assignment was the Army Medical Service Corps. Johnson served in Alaska as an officer on the staff of Norman Schwarzkopf and later served on the staff of General Colin Powell.
Wayne holds a PhD in Higher Education Leadership from Mercer University, a Masters of Business Administration from Emory University, and Bachelor of Arts in Sociology from Mercer University. Wayne was born in Macon. He is a father and grandfather and has been married to his wife, Joy, for more than 50 years. Wayne is a respected former banker who has established businesses in Middle and Southwest Georgia, other parts of Georgia and internationally. He has enjoyed both cattle and tree farming and has worked for major corporations with ties to Georgia’s 2nd Congressional District.