Chris Johnson, Associate Attorney at Takacs McGinnis Elder Care Law, PLLC, has been appointed to the Leadership Sumner Board of Directors. Johnson is a 2019 graduate of the Leadership Sumner program.
Founded in 1988, Leadership Sumner was formed to educate potential and active community leaders about the history, politics, and culture of Sumner County, and to improve the communication between all county leaders to better maintain and improve the quality of life. Participants attend a two-day retreat, a one-day mid-year retreat, and nine one-day sessions over a ten-month period. More than 500 participants have graduated from the program since it began more than 30 years ago.
“Chris’ long track record of selfless service, both as a Marine Corps officer and now in our local community, made him an easy choice to serve on the Leadership Sumner Executive board,” said Todd Johnson, President of Leadership Sumner’s Board of Directors. “We look forward to having his insight, energy, and thoughtful leadership moving forward!”
For Chris Johnson, the program has deepened his awareness of and appreciation for the community he has called home since 2014. “The program focuses on both local communities and important issues within those communities,” he said. “I learned a great deal about Sumner County’s rich history and I especially appreciated learning more about the multitude of non-profit organizations that do so much good for so many people.”
As a member of the Leadership Sumner Board, Chris Johnson will help develop the program for the 2020 cohort and beyond. “In the future, we’re likely to do more days focused on specific topics rather than focusing on individual communities within the county,” said Johnson. “More and more cities in the area are creating their own leadership programs and we want those new programs to flourish as complimentary pieces to the Leadership Sumner program. Ultimately, the Board wants to steer the development of Leadership Sumner so it’s around for another 30 years.”
Chris Johnson joined Takacs McGinnis Elder Care Law in 2018 after accumulating more than two decades of legal and military experience. Commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the United States Marine Corps after graduation from the U.S. Naval Academy, Chris’ career included multiple deployments to Japan and Afghanistan, and he served in a number of roles as an Infantry Officer and Judge Advocate. Prior to his retirement from military service in 2014, Chris had achieved the rank of Major and was the Officer-in-Charge of the Legal Services Support Team serving Marine Corps Air Station, Cherry Point, North Carolina.
Chris Johnson holds a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from the U.S. Naval Academy and a Juris Doctor degree from the College of William and Mary School of Law.