Lynden Johnson
Lynden Johnson is a highly respected and active leader in North Dakota agriculture. As the executive vice president of CHS Country Operations, a Fortune 100 company, he leads a unit that delivers agricultural inputs, energy products, grain marketing, animal nutrition, sunflower processing and other supplies to more than 75,000 CHS farmers and ranchers in 16 states and Canada. CHS Country Operations generates $8 billion in annual revenues and employs more than 6,100 agriculture professionals.
Johnson’s lifelong connection with North Dakota agriculture dates back to his youth as he grew up on the family farm in McKenzie County, North Dakota. Johnson was active in FFA, earning the State Farmer and Star Chapter Farmer awards, as well as several judged competitions.
After graduating from Watford City High School, he majored in agricultural economics at NDSU.
Cenex, the predecessor of CHS, quickly identified his talents. After Johnson graduated from NDSU in 1982, the cooperative recruited him for its management development program.
It was the start of a distinguished career.
Over the next 23 years, Johnson led three local cooperatives in Minnesota and North Dakota. He was also an active leader in many cooperative system organizations including serving as president of the North Dakota and Minnesota Managers Association, Triangle Agronomy LLC and the CHS and Land O’Lakes Managers Council.
In 2005, Johnson moved to CHS to lead CHS Business Solutions. He was named to his current role at CHS Country Operations in 2014. Johnson also is a director for the CHS Pension Plan and a member of the CHS Capital board of governors.
An ardent supporter of his alma mater, Johnson and CHS have helped create the CHS classroom, the Trading Room, scholarships for the university, the Burdick Center for Cooperatives, and support Harvest Bowl.
During his student days at NDSU, Johnson met his wife, Kathy Taipale, to whom he has been married for 34 years. They have two children and two grandsons. Their son, Aaron, with his wife, Amber, have one son, Carter. Daughter Angela and her husband, Brian Hauth, have a son, Ethan.