J.V. Johnston was born in Topeka, Kansas in 1960. Shortly after in 1962, his parents moved the family to Southeast Wichita. There, he grew up near Lincoln and Hillside, attending All Saints Grade School before Kapaun Mt. Carmel High School and eventually Newman University where he would meet wife, Veronica and played basketball.

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Immediately upon graduating, J.V. began working full-time for the family business – Johnston’s Clothiers. In 1985 his father sold 48% of the store to J.V and a partner, and ten years later he and Veronica became majority partners of Johnston’s. In 2014 J.V. left the store and accepted the position of Vice President for Advancement at Newman University.

While at Newman for over 5 years, J.V. led a team that successfully raised $29.5mil for the Bishop Gerber Science Center and raised additional funds to renovate St. John’s Chapel at the university. In January of 2020 he left Newman and became the Executive Director of Guadalupe Clinic where he has helped facilitate a new strategic management plan and better quality of care for uninsured patients.

 

J.V. has been involved in the Wichita community for decades. He served on Via Christi Hospital’s Board of Directors for 9 years with two years as board chair, and Newman University’s Board of Directors for 12 years with four years as board chair.

 

His current volunteer roles include:

• Catholic Family Federal Credit Union, board member

• Support for Catholic Schools, board chair

• St. Catherine of Siena, usher

• Homelessness Taskforce, committee member