John “JD” Johnson
Vice President of Government Solutions & Strategy, GM Defense LLC
John “JD” Johnson’s biggest recent achievement is expanding GM Defense’s ability to get commercial capability into the hands of global defense and government customers through the GM Defense-designed Infantry Squad Vehicle and the next-generation Suburban Shield.
The shield provides protected diplomatic security and VIP transport.
“We expanded orders for our ISV within our U.S. Army contract, while securing a new contract with the Canadian Armed Forces and executed pivotal demonstrations with the UK Ministry of Defence and United Arab Emirates Ministry of Defence, in addition to winning the production contract to provide our Suburban Shield to the U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Services and a new order for a similar vehicle to support the Qatar Armed Forces,” Johnson said.
He is also proud of his team’s launch and demonstration of the company’s new Next Generation Tactical Wheeled Vehicle, a diesel-powered solution featuring General Motors’ advanced battery technology that delivers modern capabilities, including energy storage, exportable power range, Silent Operations and fuel demand reduction.
“I’m especially proud of the team’s accomplishments this year that have enabled the business to give warfighters access to modern technologies and enhanced capabilities that help them achieve overmatch and get home safely,” Johnson said. “We put the customer at the center of everything we do, and our ability to understand their needs helps us to deliver effective and impactful mobility solutions that increase readiness and protect diplomacy and national security.”
Steve duMont, president of GM Defense, said:
“JD’s leadership within GM Defense is marked by his unwavering commitment to integrity, respect, and excellence. He has had a profoundly positive impact on the growth of GM Defense, helping the business gain significant marketshare in the U.S. defense and security market while also expanding to strategic markets overseas. JD has tremendous credibility in the defense and government market, and we’re fortunate to have his expertise, which has been an integral part of our growth and strong customer relationships.”
Why Watch
In 2025, Johnson’s team is heavily focused on accelerating growth domestically and in strategic international markets through the delivery of ISV, Infantry Utility Vehicle and other variants of GM Defense’s light tactical vehicle fleet that will increase Forces’ ability to remain light and maneuverable with diverse mission kit that increases agility and lethality.
“We will spend considerable investment getting our vehicles and tech demonstrators, like our new Next Generation Tactical Vehicle, into the hands of warfighters to help test the enhanced capabilities we can provide,” Johnson said.
They will also be heavily focused on international expansion, especially in the Middle East, with increased efforts to deliver ISVs, LTV variants and Suburban Shields to global customers.
Fun fact: Johnson is a Tulsa, Oklahoma, native and graduated from the Virginia Military Institute and earned two master’s degrees: one in Military Art and Science from the U.S. Army School of Advanced Military Studies and the other in Strategic Studies from the U.S. Army War College.