Johnson Machine COO Robert Johnson began his career at the age of thirteen in 1982, working at Rick’s Roller Rink, where he met his future wife, Tammy Klause.

In the spring of 1985, Randy Noonkester of E & R Machine, a regular customer, offered Robert a summer job, which marked the beginning of his career in machining. Under the guidance of Randy and Randy’s father-in-law, Egar Walden, Robert gained a strong foundation in the trade. After working there for three summers, he transitioned to full-time employment until the company was sold.

In September 1988, Robert married Tammy. Together, they welcomed their first son, Robby, in 1991, and their second son, Brandon, in 1993. In April 1994, Robert joined Precision Components, where he worked alongside Tommy and Anita Caudle, further honing his machining skills.

In October 1997, with the support of Tammy and his parents, Gene and Jean Johnson, Robert established Johnson Machine Inc. in his garage with a Trak DPM mill.

By May 1998, he was working full-time in his own business. The family grew once more with the birth of their third son, Justin, in January 2000. By May 2000, Johnson Machine had expanded to Collinsville.

As their two oldest sons graduated high school, they joined the family business—Robby as a welder and Brandon as a machine operator. In the summer of 2012, Robert and Tammy began pursuing a long-held dream of opening their own skating rink. This dream became a reality in March 2013 when they purchased Roller City in Pryor.

They later opened Wheels and Thrills in Owasso in August 2017.

In March 2023, Johnson Machine Inc. reached an exciting milestone by relocating from Collinsville to a state-of-the-art, 40,000-square-foot facility in Owasso. This expansion reflects the company’s continued growth, success, and dedication to meeting the evolving needs of its customers while positioning itself for even greater opportunities in the future.