Grambling State News

Grambling State University (GSU) business graduate Jerald Johnson took a long and challenging road to founding Simplistek, an IT consulting company that offers business process solutions and staff augmentation services to major corporations.

The journey of overcoming obstacles throughout his career paid off for Johnson, and now he’s paying it forward to his alma mater.

Recently, Johnson established a $25,000 endowment — the J.J. Johnson Family Endowed Scholarship — to support Grambling State University’s College of Business financially.

A Houston native, Johnson’s path to Grambling State wasn’t rooted in family tradition but instead shaped by determination, good fortune, and the grace of God.

“I was initially interested in studying computer science because I liked computers in high school,” Johnson said. “Someone at my church recommended Grambling, and my mom’s best friend, who had moved from Houston to a town near Shreveport, also encouraged me to attend GSU.”

Growing up in a modest household, Johnson faced challenges early on.

“It was kind of a tough life,” he said. “I didn’t have a car in high school. My parents had one vehicle, and Houston is very large geographically. The commute from my house to school was at least 30 minutes without traffic by car.  However, public transportation, which extended my commute to at least 1 hour, was my main source of transportation during the week.

Taking the bus every day exposed Johnson to stark realities, including seeing homeless people regularly, one of whom left a lasting impression.

“I would see this man almost every day, begging for money,” Johnson said. “It was a reality check. He seemed to be in his 30s or 40s. Seeing him made me reflect on my future. I was determined not to end up in that situation.”

Despite financial challenges, Johnson persevered.

“My parents did the best they could, but I knew I had to pay for college myself,” he said. “I relied on grants, loans, and scholarships. The scholarships covered most of my first year, but after that, it was primarily grants and loans.”

Johnson began his studies at Grambling State in 1991, graduating in 1995. However, as he prepared for the workforce, he realized he had another hurdle to overcome.

“I had poor interviewing skills,” Johnson admitted. “I kept failing to secure internships. Eventually, I did a self-evaluation and realized I needed to clearly distinguish myself from other students. Building confidence was the first big step.”

That newfound confidence helped Johnson land a job at Texas Instruments as a programmer/analyst, specializing in electronic data exchange.

After two years at Texas Instruments, he joined Price Waterhouse, where he was introduced to business consulting, working with major corporations like Compaq, Texaco, Entergy, and Eli Lilly.

At Eli Lilly, he met Peter Li, a person who became a mentor to him and sparked his entrepreneurial aspirations.

“Peter saw my dedication and told me I could succeed on my own,” Johnson said. “But I knew I wasn’t ready. I wanted more experience and stability for my family before taking that leap.”

In 2002, Johnson returned to Houston to work for Reliant Energy. By 2005, he transitioned to independent consulting, making significant progress before Hurricane Ike disrupted his plans during the Fall of 2008.

“I nearly went broke,” he said. “I thought I might go bankrupt. I had been doing well, with revenue close to $700,000, but the hurricane caused me to lose almost everything.”

Johnson relocated to Dallas, taking contract work to make ends meet. A 2012 contract with the Sacramento Municipal Utility District (SMUD) proved to be a turning point.

“SMUD paved the way for Simplistek,” he said. “It gave me the confidence to build something bigger. Simplistek’s name reflects my focus on simplifying complex business processes for end users through computer-based solutions.”

As Johnson built relationships with companies like CenterPoint Energy, Infosys, and Accenture, Simplistek’s success grew. That success led him back to Grambling, where he joined the College of Business Advisory Board. Inspired by financial principles learned from Dave Ramsey’s Financial Peace University, Johnson and his wife prioritized giving back.

“On the Advisory Board, we have an annual financial obligation,” Johnson said. “I always try to extend my giving. When (GSU Vice President for University Advancement and Innovation) Brandon A. Logan presented the idea of an endowment, I realized it was a great way to give back and extend this opportunity to my network.”

Johnson’s son is currently a student at Grambling State and set to graduate from the College of Business in the spring.

“My family wanted to ensure that others have the same opportunities I did,” Johnson said. “This endowment is about giving back to Grambling, which gave me so much. That’s what this is all about.”

Learn more about investing in a brighter future for Grambling State by visiting gram.edu/endowments.