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Preston Johnson Jr.
As a kid, he dreamed of becoming an accountant, but when you grow up in a small
Texas town of only 400 residents, who really wants to work with big numbers?
As fate would have it, Preston Johnson Jr.’s first
job helped him realize that his true calling was a career
in human resources. He went on to earn his M.B.A. in
1983 from UH-Clear Lake. Today, he’s vice president
of human resources for Anadarko Petroleum Corporation,
a Houston-based global exploration and production company.
Although he possesses more than thirty years of experience in human resources
management, Johnson still considers himself a numbers guy. He’s responsible for
guiding more than 4,000 employees, including a contingent of 115 Cougars. “We have
UH graduates from twenty-seven degree disciplines working across the globe,” he says. “It’s invaluable to have such a great talent pipeline here in our own backyard.”
Not only does Johnson hire Cougars, he also spearheads recruiting initiatives on campus
and has helped transform the corporation’s headquarters, Anadarko Tower, into a
place where UH alumni begin their careers. Anadarko also has established an annual
UH scholarship and often hosts alumni-centered events for employees to revel in their
Cougar pride.
“I’ve always found UH graduates to be hard-working, technically strong, and willing
to roll up their sleeves to get the job done,” Johnson says.
As he glances out his high-perched office window at Anadarko Tower, Johnson admits
that he often reflects on how far he has come and the thousands of careers he has
impacted. In his eyes, however, he’s doing what he wanted to do all along—making a
difference through people.
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