North Central College
Mark W. Johnson, CFA, has extensive experience in finance and investment management, currently serving as an Adjunct Associate Professor at North Central College since July 2011, where courses in Economics and Finance are taught. Prior to this role, Mark held the position of Managing Director of Wealth Management at Optimum Investment Advisors from October 2009 to October 2023, focusing on absolute return-oriented balanced fund portfolios. Previous positions include Vice President and Sr. Portfolio Manager at JPMorgan, Vice President at First Albany Asset Management and Calamos Investments, Principal at Cleary Gull Inc., and Vice President at Mesirow Financial, as well as starting a career as a Vice President at Barrington Research Associates, Inc. Mark holds an MBA in Finance from the University of Chicago and a BA in Political Science and Economics from Southern Illinois University, Carbondale.