Randall Johnson-Executive Director, Southeastern Office
Randall Johnson serves as the North Carolina Biotechnology Center Southeastern Office Executive Director to strengthen the regional economy and to improve the quality of life across North Carolina, through economic development action related to marine biotech, industrial biotech, renewable bioproducts/energy, clinical research, and agricultural biotech.
Johnson has extensive experience in local and regional economic development, with a focus on entrepreneurship and knowledge sector development. He graduated cum laude from Wake Forest University with an undergraduate concentration in psychology, and he holds an MBA from the Babcock Graduate School of Management at Wake Forest University, where he concentrated in IT Management, Operations Management, and Entrepreneurship.
He serves on the boards of business, civic, and arts-related organizations in the region and state, including the NC Economic Developers Association, NC Sustainable Energy Association, Institute for Emerging Issues Environments Council, and the Advisory Committee for Biotechnology in Southeastern North Carolina, which he helped found. His work with statewide partners led to the creation of NC’s Marine Bio-Technologies Center of Innovation and the NC Coast Clinical Research Initiative.
Johnson is a graduate of Leadership North Carolina Class XV and was awarded the U.S. President’s Volunteer Service Award, a national honor award recognizing individuals who have answered the call to make a lifelong commitment to volunteer service.
He and his wife Leigh and newborn son Wallace live in Wilmington, NC.