
John C. Johnson
For three decades, John has devoted full-time focus on the mergers and acquisitions profession. As an advisor, advocate and intermediary for business owners, he has personally handled business sales from start to finish to ensure his clients’ best outcomes. He has managed scores of business sales – giving counsel, preparing value assessments for “hold-and-grow or sell-and-go” decisions, and guiding clients through the acquisition or divestiture process and decisions. As the Founder of BluestemUSA, John continues to provide unlimited direction, guidance and wisdom to both the Firm and his clients.
John’s life experiences include training as an engineer, in business management for a Fortune 100 company and through businesses’ he has personally owned and managed. He appreciates and respects business owner’s sacrifice, stress, risk and work. He also knows the relief, freedom and exhilaration owners will feel when successfully completing a transaction with the best possible outcome.
At Amoco (now BP Exxon) and Union Pacific Corporation, John managed professions in key strategic and investment decisions through financial analysis, economic evaluations, strategic plans and in mergers and acquisitions. He built and successfully sold a private distribution business. He as owned a land and cattle business, limestone mining interests and a fiberglass product manufacturing business.
John Johnson brings a unique blend of expertise for crafting the best outcomes for clients when selling a business.
Experience
From the earliest days of his career, John Johnson has cultivated a broad knowledge base and refined skills that are invaluable in acquisitions and divestitures. He is adept at strategic thinking, business and financial analysis, negotiations and ownership issues.
With over three decades of fulltime commitment to his client’s business sales and acquisitions, John is nationally and locally respected as one of the leading M&A profession’s practitioners, a leader who is broadly trained and highly respected. He is recognized as “Industry Expert for the Oil and Gas Industry” by Business Brokerage Press.
Recognizing the importance of having an extensive network of resources, John Johnson is both a Founder and Managing Partner of IBG Business (a nationwide M&A broker and advisor firm) as well as The Oil & Gas Advisor (a specialist firm in energy-related M&A). BluestemUSA is a proud partner of both organizations.
Education & Awards
- BS in Petroleum Engineering from The University of Tulsa
- MBA from Texas Christian University
- Founder and Chair of the M&A Source
- Past President and Board Chair of the Tulsa Executives Association
- M&A Source Darrel Fouts Award for M&A Profession Leadership
- International Business Brokers Association’s Chairman’s Award
- Tom West Award for outstanding contributions to development of the profession and its ethics
- Small Business Administration’s Award – Oklahoma Financial Services Advocate of the year
Areas of Expertise
With over thirty years of experience, John has participated in almost every business sector, but he has specialty expertise in: energy, manufacturing, wholesale trade, construction, business services, professional services and trucking.
Professional Certifications
- Licensed Realtor/Broker
- Certified Business Intermediary (CBI)
- Mergers and Acquisitions Master Intermediary (M&AMI)
- Fellow and Life Member of the IBBA
- Fellow and Life Member of the M&A Source
If you are considering selling a business, today or in the future, now is the time to contact John to confidentially discover how, together, you can achieve your business sale objectives.
Contact John Johnson for a free, confidential visit on what you should know today about selling your business.
About Us
Client Comments
. . . .express our deepest appreciation . . . for handling the sale of our family's 60-year old . . . business. Your efforts, advice and professionalism were central in our success . . . even with the unusual difficulties and circumstances presented in our sale. . . wisdom and expertise as advocates and advisors . . . anticipated the twists and turns, prepared us and led us . . . with steady vision and a firm hand . . . came to respect the knowledge, candor, hard work, and honorable approach. . . testament to Bluestem's expertise and services. . . recommend to any business owner . . . to handle their business purchase or sale.
Todd Fimple - Owner, Elliott Truck Lines
Our objectives were to fund our retirement by extracting risk free money from value of the business, while staying active with a partner who would fund and support growth initiatives . . . respecting our objectives, IBG led us in negotiating a sale that exceeded all hopes. We enjoyed a huge ROI from investing in John and IBG to manage our sale . . . strategically prepared . . . unearthed and explained the true underlying value . . . and navigating us to a great result . . . find effective solutions to every obstacle. . . delivered on many opportunities to win value for us. Our sale was completed at more than twice the value of initial offers and what we had thought to be an attainable value . . . We highly recommend IBG to other business owners who may look to selling their business.
Roger Walker - CEO of Citadel Technologies
. . . accept my gratitude for your efforts and skill in delivering a successful sale of Cohlmia's. . . a long labor of love for me . . . owned and nurtured for 35 years . . . an excellent business that held many fond memories and cherished friends. My choice to sell did not come lightly. . . I choose business advisors cautiously. You . . . were recommended by some of my most trusted advisors. You earned your reputation in my book. . . you steadfastly represented my best interests. My confidentiality was preserved throughout. . . honest and frank in dealing with all parties and their advisors. Job well done! I will continue to recommend your services to any business owner with no reservation.