Each week, the Shreveport-Bossier Journal’s Tony Taglavore takes to lunch a local person – someone well-known, successful, and/or influential, and asks, “What’s Your Story?”
By TONY TAGLAVORE, Journal Services
The big-name entertainer’s tour bus was parked in front of the old Sheraton Shreveport hotel. The rolling billboard drew a crowd of people jostling for a glimpse of the star who was in town to perform at what was then the CenturyLink Center in Bossier City.
The hotel’s director of sales had hired an off-duty policeman to make sure things didn’t get out of hand. But the situation was on the verge of doing just that.
“So, I go down there and stand next to the cop. I’m facing the people, and in a really loud voice, I said, ‘You really need to have these people back up. No, a little further. On the other side of those cars. Now, if you can keep them there, that would be great.’ He looked at me, and I looked at him. I said, ‘The next time you need a Head Bitc#, just give me a call and I will be down here to take care of you.’ I’m like, ‘I am paying you 60-some-odd dollars an hour to do this, and I’m going to have to come down here and keep the crowd under control?’”
Lisa Johnson, now in her 20th year as President/CEO of Bossier Chamber of Commerce, told me that story, and her story, during lunch at a place she chose, 2Johns Steak & Seafood, in, of course, Bossier.
Lisa had the Friday lunch special – Chicken Fried Steak. I very much enjoyed a cup of 2Johns Shrimp Bisque and a chicken salad sandwich.
The crowd control story is a prime example of who Lisa is – and has been – throughout her life.
Take charge. Get things done. Even if it means, at times, being a “Head Bitc#.” Lisa prides herself on having a strong work ethic.
“But I’m not going to do (something) if I’m not having fun. That’s critical.”
Lisa is Bossier through and through. The oldest of three children was born at the former Bossier Medical Center, “along with all the other babies of the 1960’s.” In fact, Lisa has lived in Bossier all but six-weeks of her soon-to-be 57 years.
“My Dad relocated us to Whitehall, Arkansas, when I was in fourth grade. He had been commuting back and forth to work, coming home on the weekends. Then, when he moved the family up there, he got laid off. So, we turned around and came back.”
But Lisa made good use of her short time away. “That’s where I really learned to drive. My dad was a welder/fabricator. I learned how to drive on a half-ton, stick-shift welding truck.”
Growing up, Lisa learned something else, which she still values.
“Family is who you can count on. It’s not just blood. It’s trust. It’s integrity. It’s somebody you can lean on – that’s going to be there for you in good times and in bad. Just as God teaches us, they love you unconditionally.”
And then there is Lisa’s faith, the result of being raised in church.
“What I listen to today is Contemporary Christian. That’s what stays on my radio. It is my daily devotional. It sets my day straight and keeps me in line. So many people think that when you pray, you are supposed to close your eyes and be still. No. I will be driving down the road, just looking up, getting emotional, and be like, ‘Oh, goodness!’”
Music became an important part of Lisa’s life when she was young. Along with her sister, Lisa was a competition twirler. “I got many a trophy and medals.” She was a middle school majorette, and in high school, played the bass clarinet. But she also found time to model.
“I would do tearoom modeling at Ernest’s Supper Club when it was downtown on the riverfront. I would go to the Petroleum Club for Secretary’s Day. At Ernest’s, I would model jewelry. For Secretary’s Day, it was clothing for the ladies.”
Lisa also had a knack for the business of modeling. So much so, the owner of the modeling agency hired Lisa to run the agency when Lisa was just 15 years old.
“(Me and my dad) went and bought a desk at a garage sale, and I started booking ladies for modeling gigs, and paid them.”
Her dedication to the job is why Lisa returned home after one year at Louisiana Tech.
“I’ve always had that instinct to work.”
Prior to college, Lisa, who “loves children”, was going to be a pediatrician. She spent her high school years preparing for medical school.
“I took all the sciences. I took all the math’s. All the way up to trigonometry. All the chemistry classes . . . . For whatever reason, when it came time, I decided I couldn’t pass the MCAT (Medical College Admission Test), so I dropped it. I decided without even trying. I just dropped my dream.”
At LSUS, Lisa picked up a new dream.
“I wanted to be the (news) anchor on Channel 3.”
But our local university didn’t offer a program which could help Lisa live that dream, and she wasn’t leaving town. So, Lisa chose to capitalize on her love for talking, which she calls “God’s gift.” She graduated with a Liberal Arts degree, with a focus on Public Relations.
Lisa’s mom wasn’t happy.
“She fussed at me the whole time I was in college. ‘What are you doing? What are you going to do with this? You’re not going to get a job at all. You’re not going to be able to do anything.’”
Lisa’s mom, who died last January, lived long enough to be proven wrong. Her daughter’s resume reflects a little bit of this and a little bit of that, including Group sales Manager at Louisiana Downs, Marketing Director at American Rose Center, and Vice President of Tourism and Marketing for what was then called the Shreveport-Bossier Convention and Tourist Bureau.
“(Mom) was very proud. She could not have been prouder. She would have never admitted she was wrong, but that’s ok.”
Lisa’s longevity at Bossier Chamber must mean she’s doing something right. But the road hasn’t always been smooth. Not that long ago, there was friction between the school board, which wanted a tax increase, and the business community, which Lisa represents. The Chamber chose not to take a position on the issue.
“There were a lot of folks who were really ugly to me and, on social media, really rude. You have to have thick skin.”
But Lisa’s darkest time came in her personal life, a two-year process where she divorced her husband of 28 years.
“It started affecting me physically and mentally. I started to become unhealthy. I was having difficulty because my thought processes were not there . . . . Then, because it was my decision, it was an extremely difficult time to watch my children (who were in their 20’s) go through that.”
But Lisa made it to the other side.
“I sought help. I call her my paid best friend. I still see a counselor today for life issues. I’ve healed quite a bit. It was absolutely the right thing to do. I have a wonderful man in my life now. God knew he was supposed to be there.”
Assuming Lisa had a ribbon cutting or a big meeting to attend – after all, she is the face of Bossier business – I asked my final question. As always, what is it about her life story that can be helpful to others?
“The simplest thing in life is about a relationship. It’s about building those relationships – good, bad, or ugly. Communication is key, and honesty is key. If you’re not honest, and you don’t tell the truth, that’s when you’re going to start seeing the problems. But when you’re honest, tell the truth, and are forthright, you never have anything to make sure you’re covering up. Just continue to tell the truth, be authentic, and be yourself.”
Even if, at times, it means being a Head Bitc#.
Do you know someone with a story? Email SBJTonyT@gmail.com.