johnson led his company into the finance industry in 1970 with the establishment of the heritage bank & trust (now johnson bank) in racine. the company, which became the johnson financial group, inc., further expanded to include johnson trust, johnson asset management, johnson insurance, johnson investment services, and a number of international businesses in europe and the caribbean. johnson bank is one of the five largest privately owned community banks and johnson insurance is one of the top 100 insurance brokers in the united states. johnson was the group's chairman of the board at the time of his death.