Laura Johnson

Principal Account Clerk
laurajohnson@co.livingston.ny.us | (585) 243-7124

Where do you live?

East Avon, New York

What brought you to LivCo?

When I married my husband and moved to Rochester we bought our first home in the suburbs of Monroe County with the idea that it would be a temporary stay. When the economic downturn happened in 2008 it set our plans back to where we could not move to LivCo until 2017. When we found our house, it spoke to us. Built in 1910, it had a real soul and begged us to come and take care of it. It was just meant to be! My husband and I are DIY pros, and really enjoy bringing a house to life.

The Economic Development Department and I have circled each other for years as I have been involved in many local business ventures just lending a hand to friends and making connections along the way. When this position was made available I applied, and formally met my co-workers; I immediately felt at home. I have worked for SUNY in various capacities over the last two decades while raising special needs kids and earning my degrees. I also run our small homestead farm. I come from a long line of people that know what grit and hard work truly is and Economic Development’s mission is a perfect fit for my sensibilities.

What do you primarily work on in the office?

Money! I work with the staff to make sure the money is where it is supposed to be and gets sent to the right people at the right time and that we have the right records of it. Eventually I would like to hold a few workshops on owning a business and basics of finance for new business owners. Sort of a “The stuff I wish someone had told me when I started my business” kind of thing.

Favorite LivCo Spot:

J&A’s greenhouse. I spend more money than I should on plants.

Favorite LivCo Meal:

My house. I raise heritage pork and I smoke and cure my own meats. My bacon has been compared to a religious experience.

Favorite LivCo Event:

I can’t pick just one! There are so many excellent ones I can’t choose between them and every year I find a new favorite.

How do you invest in LivCo?

I have been a resident here for just shy of a decade. I recently filed my LLC for my farm with the faith that I am creating a legacy here in Livingston County. I believe it is our rural communities and our small townships that will lead the future as the average consumer demands more from their businesses than just the product they sell. They want to know who is selling it and why. By connecting the wider world to our smaller business communities we create opportunities for growth connections that were never there before and that is an investment worth making!