Allan P. Johnson, III, age 76, is Owner/Chairman of the Board of Peerless Cleaners, Inc. established in 1937 and purchased by Johnson in 1985. He has been instrumental in Peerless’ expansion from eight to sixteen locations plus Valet Services for ten major hotels in the Corpus Christi area. He is Past President/Past Chairman of the Board of the Southwest Drycleaners Association, a regional professional association based in Austin serving eight contiguous states. He served as a director of the Southwest Drycleaners Association (SDA), 1989 – 2005 and is currently an Ambassador.
Johnson serves as President of the Drycleaning and Laundry Institute International (DLI) based in Laurel, Maryland. He is also a director on the Advisory Committee of the National Fire & Indemnity Exchange (NIE)–a private insurance company specializing in insuring the drycleaning and laundry business.
Johnson, an entrepreneur, actively participates in the management of his investment interests through ALSU, Inc., a property and equipment asset management firm.
From January 1983 to May 1985, Johnson was Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Avantra Corporation; a military aircraft refueling company with contracts at eight naval air stations throughout the United States. In addition, he was President and Chief Operating Officer of Power Equipment — a heavy duty truck parts company with branches in eight Texas cities.
From July 1979 to December 1982, Johnson invested in and was instrumental in the start-up operations of Walton Signs, Bajon Corporation, Summit Geophysical, Southwest State Bank and several commercial real estate ventures including the joint venture development of Weber Square Shopping Center in Corpus Christi.
Prior to going into business for himself in July 1979, Johnson spent thirteen years in the newspaper business. He was president of the Corpus Christi Caller-Times, the San Antonio Express-News and president of Harte Hanks Metro Group. The Group included five daily newspapers located in Abilene, San Angelo, Wichita Falls and Corpus Christi in Texas as well as Yakima, Washington. Combined revenues exceeded $60,000,000. He was also Vice President of Harte Hanks Communications, Inc. with corporate offices in San Antonio, Texas when it listed on the New York Stock Exchange.
Johnson began his newspaper career in 1967 as Personnel Manager of the Columbia (S.C.) State-Record Company. In less than a year he was promoted to Business Manager. He moved to Texas in 1972 as General Manager of the Corpus Christi Caller-Times. In 1973, he was named President of the San Antonio Express-News. In 1974, the Express-News was sold to Rupert Murdoch. Johnson was promoted to President of Harte Hanks Metro Group and concurrently President of the Corpus Christi Caller-Times.
Johnson received his Bachelor of Science Degree in Business Administration from Virginia Tech in 1961 and his Master of Business Administration Degree from Eastern New Mexico University in 1964. He entered the US Air Force in 1961. He attained the rank of Captain before being honorably discharged in 1967. He was a commercially rated, multi-engine pilot until giving up this avocation in 1985.
Johnson maintains an active interest in civic and political affairs. He served as a member of the Charter Revision Commission of the City of Corpus Christi. In successive years, he served the United Way in Corpus Christi as Campaign Chairman, President and Chairman of the Executive Committee. He served the Chamber of Commerce as Vice President, member of the Executive Committee and of the Board of Directors. He served on the founding board of the Texas State Aquarium Association. He is a former National Trustee of the National Conference of Christians and Jews. Social organizations include the Centuria Club (Past President) and the Corpus Christi Yacht Club.
Johnson and his wife, Susan, have four sons ranging in age from fifty two to thirty eight and seven grandchildren. He is an Episcopalian and attends the Church of the Good Shepherd.
