Biography

Christopher Johnson

President and CEO

Christopher (Chris) Johnson was named President and CEO of Portico Benefit Services in 2024. He leads the company in providing retirement, health, life, disability and wellness benefits. As a ministry of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), Portico helps those who serve to live well – financially, emotionally, and physically.

Regarded for his ability to successfully scale businesses for growth, Chris has more than three decades of experience in the financial services, health care, and consulting industries. His background includes executive positions with Elevance Health, UnitedHealth Group, U.S. Bancorp, and American Express. Most recently, he was Head of Global Solutions and Enabling Services for Carelon, which is part of the broader Elevance health family.

With values rooted in servant leadership, Chris has a history of building diverse, high-performing teams, ensuring a culture of excellence that drives alignment between strategic objectives and organizational goals.

Chris shares Portico’s commitment to serving faith-based communities. He has a strong connection within the ELCA and many years of related nonprofit board experience. Currently, he serves on Luther Seminary’s Faith+Lead Innovation Advisory Council and the University of North Dakota’s Center of Innovation. He also served for many years on the Evangelical Lutheran Good Samaritan Society National Board, as well as the United Way Board of Washington County – East.

After graduating from the Nistler College of Business and Public Administration at the University of North Dakota, he earned an MBA from the Carlson School of Management at the University of Minnesota.

Chris and his wife, Marilyn, have three children. They reside in Stillwater, MN and are members of Trinity Lutheran Church.