Oscar W. "OJ" Johnson
"O.J." Johnston was born and raised in Centre County, Pennsylvania. He attended State College Area High School and graduated from The Pennsylvania State University in 1971 with a degree in business administration. He received a Master's Degree in Business Administration from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in 1977. As a career Air Force officer and aviator he attended a number of formal military schools including Undergraduate Pilot Training, Squadron Officer's School and the Air War College. Notably, he was recognized as a Distinguished Graduate of the year-long Air Command and Staff College resident program in 1985.

O.J. was commissioned via the Air Force ROTC program at Penn State and entered active military service in 1971. After completing flight and combat crew training, he was assigned to the 416th Bomb Wing at Griffiss Air Force Base in New York as a B-52 bomber pilot assigned to Strategic Air Command. From 1980 he was selected for Air Force test pilot duties and conducted test flights of varied radar systems and air-to-ground weapons at the Air Force Flight Test Center in California and at the Boeing Company facilities in Wichita, Kansas. In 1985, he reported to the Pentagon for the first of two tours there totaling nine years. His Pentagon activities focused on developing the nation's advanced stealth aircraft and special weapons as the Chief of the Strategic Branch of Special Projects on the Air Staff. Colonel Johnston returned to flying duties in 1989 and was ultimately selected for command duties. Under his command, his squadron was named the "Best in the Air Force" in 1991. He returned to the Pentagon in 1993 working for the Secretary of the Air Force as the Deputy Director of Special Programs until his retirement in 1997, culminating 26 years of distinguished military service.

Colonel Johnston joined the Raytheon in October 1997 as Manager of Department of Defense Programs at the State College, Pennsylvania facility. His responsibilities at Raytheon involve managing several multimillion-dollar defense contracts supporting the Air Force's F-16 and F-22 fighter aircraft along with varied national defense intelligence programs. He is also an active member of Raytheon's business development team responsible for expanding the State College facility's customer base.

Capitalizing on his life-long affiliation with Centre County, O.J. is also an independent business consultant and broker for an alliance of Pittsburgh based businesses led by Urish-Popeck & Company, LLC and Babst, Calland, Clements and Zomnir, PC with offices at Penn State's Innovation Park. This alliance of established entrepreneurs is providing the Centre Region with business services in accounting, business management and law.

Colonel Johnston holds numerous aeronautical ratings including U.S. Air Force Command Pilot and a commercial airline transport rating. His military decorations include the Legion of Merit, the Meritorious Service Medal, the Air Force Commendation Medal, the Air Force Outstanding Unit Award, the Air Force Organizational Excellence Award and the Combat Readiness Medal, among others. He is a member of the Board of Directors of the Private Industry Council of Centre County and the Chamber of Business and Industry of Centre County. His professional memberships include the Air Force Association, The Retired Officers' Association, and the Society of Experimental Test Pilots among others.