NAWBO :: Lisa Johnson

Lisa Johnson

Director

Gourmet Kitchens, Inc.
Chicago, IL

Lisa Johnson is President and CEO of Gourmet Kitchens, Inc., a  manufacturer of fresh, prepared foods headquartered in Chicago that  under her leadership and innovative management has grown into one of  the most successful organizations in the perishable industry.  Ms. Johnson founded GKI in 1986 at the age of 26 and the  company now manufactures an average of 400 different fresh food  products sold to chain and independent retailers throughout the Midwest  and as of fourth quarter 2008 began distributing nationwide with select  frozen appetizers for the holiday season.  The many hats Ms. Johnson wears include: taking an active  role in the research and development of new products, serving as a key  member of the sales team and acting as account manager to some of GKI’s  top clients. GKI has experienced double digit growth since becoming  manufacturers for retail as Ms. Johnson is always working to stay ahead  of the curve and has traveled around the world to see what trends are  developing in Europe and Asia in products, packaging and machinery. 

Ms. Johnson and GKI have won numerous awards in recent years  including The Business Ledger’s 2007 Influential Women in Business, the NAWBO/Wells Fargo Trailblazer Award in 2005, the National Association of  Women Business Owners-Chicago Business Woman of the Year in 2005, the  Industrial Council of NearWest Chicago’s Business of the Year Award in  2004 and a Best New Product of 2006 recipient from Stagnito’s New  Products Magazine for the Just Toss It® salad. In addition, Gourmet  Kitchens was recognized twice as a Corporate Partner of the Year by the  NAWBO Chicago chapter and in 2006, Lisa was a finalist for the Mirrasou  Optimist Award. 

Ms. Johnson currently sits on the Board of Directors of the  National Association of Women Business Owners, the Industrial Council  of NearWest Chicago, and the Chicago advisory board of the Women's  Leadership Exchange. She has been an active member of NAWBO for the  past 15 years, and served on the local Chicago Chapter Board of NAWBO  for 3 years. Ms. Johnson has been recently named as a finalist for the  2009 Chicago Area Entrepreneurship Hall of Fame.  Ms. Johnson served on the American Express Partners in  Preservation Advisory Committee in Chicago and on the Price Waterhouse  Coopers Trendsetter Barometer Panel, a panel of the nation’s  fastest-growing businesses.