John W. Johnson is chairman of Permian Mud Service, Inc. and chairman of the executive committee of its subsidiary, Champion Technologies, Inc. An oil field services business, Permian Mud Service, Inc. and its subsidiaries have operations worldwide where oil and natural gas are produced. He was the founding Chairman of Southwest Bank of Texas (now Amegy Bank of Texas), Houston's largest independent bank, and currently serves as Chairman of the Bank's Executive Committee.

Johnson earned a bachelor's degree in civil engineering from Vanderbilt University and was formerly a member of the university's board of trustees. He received the Flowers Underwood Distinguished Alumnus Award in 1996.

For eight years, Johnson served as a commissioner on the Texas Transportation Commission, a five-member board that oversees statewide activities of the Texas Department of Transportation. Gov. George W. Bush appointed Johnson as a member of the commission effective February, 1999. He became Chairman in April, 2000 and passed the gavel in January, 2004.