CAL JOHNSTON

Founder, The Johnston Group

Chairman, Boys & Girls Clubs Conejo and Las Virgenes

By Amber George

It’s a better return than most...help(ing) over 1,000 of our young people each year.”
(Referring to his Chairmanship with the Boys and Girls Clubs)

"When you say jump, we say how high.” This is the philosophy upon which Cal Johnston has based his many successful businesses endeavors.
If you do not already know Cal Johnston, you should. Cal has had his hand in countless aspects of the real estate development and management industry over the past 50 years. The Johnston Group was founded in 1959 and shortly thereafter, Cal formed the Property Research Corporation.  It was the latter which was a leader in the groundbreaking area of research on demographics and future trends in real estate development.
In the 1960s, the Property Research Corporation organized and registered numerous security offerings including two Six Flags theme parks, which Johnston and his roughly 200 partners sold to Time Warner for approximately $600 million in the late 1990s. Focusing his business endeavors on the Conejo Valley (Los Angeles Uptown), Cal founded the Technology Corridor Association in 1985 to promote the growth of businesses in the 26-miles from Woodland Hills to Thousand Oaks in the decade that followed.  Years later, The Johnston Group, now owned and operated by his son, Jeff, still has a number of office parks within
this corridor.

The epitome of an entrepreneur, Cal says that the secret to his success is focusing on relationship management. He believes that taking care of one’s clients is essential to having a successful business and is paramount to repeat customers. Cal notes that so many of his clients spend more time in the office than they do at home. So he ensures that they have a comfortable and attractive office setting with calming elements such as water features accented by unique bronze works of art. It is the simple things that can sometimes make a big difference.
For anyone who knows Cal, it only seems natural that he has become involved in philanthropic endeavors, namely the Boys & Girls Clubs of Conejo and Las Virgenes (B&GC). Cal currently serves as a National Trustee for the Boys & Girls Clubs of America as well as the founding Chairman of the Board of Governors of the local organization. While Cal has always supported charities through donations, he feels that giving back in an active way makes more of a difference. He and his wife of over 50 years, Marje, have not only been active leaders but also have donated over $3 million to date to the local Boys & Girls Clubs. “It’s a better return on investment than most,” Cal points out, “as our Clubs help over a thousand of our young people each year.”
“As one nears retirement, it’s important to become more and more involved in charitable works.” Cal doesn’t just talk the talk; he walks the walk.
Cal’s own upbringing may be why he is so passionate about the B&GC. Having lost both of his parents when he was only five-years-old, he was raised in the Masonic Home for Children in Covina, California, until the age of seventeen. Cal says he was fortunate enough to have a good childhood experience at the Home, but that this is not the case for every child.
Cal saw a need in the Conejo Valley community and wanted to find a way to provide a strong and supportive foundation to children during their awkward middle school years. This is a challenging age for kids for many reasons, but mostly because they are often too old for babysitters and too young to really be on their own. The B&GC addresses these needs by providing before and after school programs, including tutoring and homework help, music, sports, and many other activities that fit this age group.
Cal says that the business world and the non-profit world have many similarities. Many of the lessons he learned in business were easily transferable to the B&GC. Cal attributes much of the success of the B&GC to the amazing individuals who have lent their business skills and talents to the clubs as board members and volunteers.
Like with any business endeavor, facilities are expensive, zoning is difficult, and funding can be elusive. Cal’s approach has been termed “The Suburban Initiative” and creates a symbiotic relationship between local schools and the B&GC. The B&GC builds 5,000 to 10,000 square foot clubhouses on school campuses under long-term leases for $1 per year, including the use of the school’s gymnasium, and in turn the schools are able to use the club’s facilities during the school day for many activities including meetings, computer instruction, and exercise classes.
Cal’s main goal for the B&GC is that every child who wants to go to college, gets to college. Getting on the right track starts in middle school with kids learning correct study habits and building their resumes and GPAs. Equally important is the building of self-esteem and self-confidence. The clubs address those critical components through programs such as Smart Girls, Passport to Manhood, Career Launch, and Leaders in Training. These programs not only help kids deal with peer pressures but also help them make the right choices and choose the right path when they approach a fork in the road.
Cal has high hopes for the B&GC’s future. His original goal of establishing six clubs, amid many doubts, is in sight. Presently, four clubs are open in the Conejo School District serving Thousand Oaks and Newbury Park, and two more are currently in the process of being established in the Las Virgenes School District to serve kids in Westlake, Agoura Hills, Calabasas, and Hidden Hills.

Whenever Cal is lucky enough to have free time, he enjoys a round of golf and is also an avid reader of financial subjects. Cal also devotes time to the Thousand Oaks Boulevard Association, whose goal is to improve the attractiveness and vitality of the city’s downtown area. He has served as president of the Association for the past five years.
The passion Cal has for his work is evident, but the passion he has for the B&GC is inspiring.