Legislative Advocacy

There are many regulations that charter bus operators must abide by at both the federal and the state level. MCBOA retains a professional lobbyist to help keep us up to date on pending state legislation and in advising the association of areas of potential concern to either the motorcoach industry or to small businesses in general.

Dean Johnson, MCBOA Lobbyist

Dean Elton Johnson grew up on a farm near Lanesboro, Minnesota. He attended Luther College in Decorah, IA and Luther Theological Seminary in St. Paul, MN where he attained degrees in Business Administration and a Master’s of Divinity. He completed another Master’s Degree in Strategic Studies from the United States Army War College in 2002.

His career experiences include serving as a parish pastor in Willmar, Minnesota for 48 years, a Chaplain where he served for 38 years in the United States Army National Guard where he attained the rank of Brigadier General, and two terms in the Minnesota House of Representatives, seven terms in the Minnesota Senate where he served as both the Senate Minority and Majority Leader.

In 2007, Dean was elected to the Board of Regents of the University of Minnesota, re-elected to another 6 year term in March, 2013 and retired from the Board in 2019. He is married to the former Debbie Dean Baker of Omaha, Nebraska.