Johnson was honored at the recognition event hosted by the Springfield Business Journal on April 24, 2025. Johnson became the 17th president of College of the Ozarks in 2022 and has since led with a heart for people and a vision to preserve and strengthen the College’s Christ-centered mission. He oversaw the development of a 10-year strategic plan, Light the Way: Equipping Students to Shine the Hope of Christ, which reinforces the institution’s core values — academic, vocational, Christian, patriotic, and cultural — and expands its national visibility. “By God’s grace and through the dedication of our remarkable employees, College of the Ozarks continues to earn national recognition,” Johnson said. Under his leadership, the College was recently named one of The Chronicle of Higher Education’s “Great Colleges to Work For,” and ranks among the top 6 percent of colleges and universities nationwide by The Wall Street Journal. Johnson has fostered campuswide collaboration by establishing the President’s Leadership Cabinet and the President’s Learning Network, while also investing in future leaders through the Presidential Fellow Program. He is also active in the region, serving on the Ozark Mountain Legacy board and engaging with chambers of commerce in Branson, Hollister, and Forsyth. Perhaps most notably, College of the Ozarks' student retention rates rose to 88 percent in 2023 and 90 percent in 2024 — well above national averages. “Seeing students walk across the stage, ready to step into their God-given calling, is a joy I never take for granted,” Johnson said. “It’s also tangible evidence that the College is accomplishing its mission.” For more information, contact the Public Relations Office at (417) 690-2212 or visit www.cofo.edu. About College of the Ozarks The Keeter Center — the College’s award-winning lodge, restaurant, and conference facility — earns awards consistently, including the TripAdvisor Best of the Best Award 2024 and the Readers’ Choice Awards 2024 from ConventionSouth magazine. The Keeter Center features historic lodging, fine dining, and meeting rooms. With more than 350 student workers, it is the largest workstation on campus. 
POINT LOOKOUT, MO. — College of the Ozarks is proud to announce that its president, Dr. Brad Johnson, has been named one of Springfield Business Journal’s 2025 Men of the Year, an annual award honoring men across southwest Missouri who demonstrate outstanding leadership and impact in their communities and professions.
College of the Ozarks is a private, Christian, liberal arts college, located in Point Lookout, Missouri, on a 1,000-acre campus. Christian values, hard work, and fiscal responsibility comprise the fundamental building blocks of the “Hard Work U.” experience. The College earns numerous accolades yearly, including No. 2 Best Performers on Social Mobility-Regional Colleges in the Midwest and No. 4 Best Regional College in the Midwest by U.S. News & World Report for 2024-2025 and No. 3 Best Bang for the Buck by Washington Monthly, 2024. To achieve its vision, the College pursues academic, vocational, Christian, patriotic, and cultural goals. These goals are mirrored in School of the Ozarks, a laboratory school that completes the K-college model.
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