Belleville East
Lancer Wall of Fame
Kristin Johnson Bio
Kristin graduated from Belleville East in 1989, where she was a member of the National Honor Society, Pom Pon squad, Yearbook Editor her Senior Year, and a member of Lifesavers. Kristin was also a member of the Homecoming Court her senior year, and she enjoyed attending many sporting events and dances. Kristin’s dad was stationed at Scott AFB, and she was lucky enough to grow up in Belleville from the age of five. When the Air Force told her dad that he must move her junior year of high school, he decided to retire and pursue civil employment so she could finish at Belleville East.
From high school, Kristin attended the University of Illinois, where she majored in Accountancy and became a licensed CPA. She was a member of the sorority Alpha Gamma Delta and a member of the Illinettes Dance team in her sophomore and junior years. Upon graduation, she secured an auditor job with Price Waterhouse in Chicago. In 1994, Kristin met and began dating her husband, PK Johnson, a 1988 graduate of Belleville West. Even though Kristin and P.K. grew up across town from one another, they never met until college. In 1995, when P.K. graduated law school and was returning to Belleville to work for the State’s Attorney, Kristin began looking for jobs closer to home. She found an opportunity at Edward D. Jones in their Internal Audit department and started for the company on July 31, 1995.
Kristin and PK got married in 1997. They lived in St. Louis for one year and then moved to Swansea in 1998. Since then, they have lived in Caseyville.
Kristin loved learning about the brokerage business and Edward Jones. She increased her responsibilities by working hard, performing well, and treating others as they wanted to be treated. As a continuous learner, Kristin pursued two graduate degrees, an MA in Information Management from Webster University in 2000 and an EMBA from Washington University in 2004.
In 2000, she relocated to the operations division and held leadership roles in several account and trade processing departments. Kristin was named Principal in 2006 and worked in the firm’s Retirement Services and Client Reporting areas over the next six years. In 2013, Kristin took on responsibilities for the firm’s Branch Office Administrator role and charted the future path for the role’s contributions in the client experience. Kristin was named the interim co-leader of Human Resources in April 2019 and later served as the firm’s Chief Human Resources officer until September 2022.
As the firm’s Chief Transformation Officer since 2020, Kristin Johnson has led Edward Jones’ change journey, putting its purpose into action and creating value for clients, colleagues, and communities. As a member of the Edward Jones Enterprise Leadership Team, Kristin also provides critical thought leadership and drives initiatives that enable the firm to progress.
Kristin and PK have two sons – Preston, 23, who graduated from Michigan State in May 2024 and now works as a Registered Branch Associate at Edward Jones, and, Kaden, 21, a senior majoring in Film and Media Production at Arizona State University. PK is an estate planning attorney in Belleville with Johnson, Johnson, and Nolan and is active in the St. Clair County Historical Society and United Way. As a family, they love watching Cardinal baseball, traveling, and attending music festivals.
Kristin is active in several community organizations and serves on the boards of the Center of Creative Arts (COCA), Mercy Hospital, Webster University, and the St. Louis Fashion Fund.
Kristin’s purpose is to help others grow their confidence sometimes before they see it in themselves. She attributes her opportunities to others doing the same for her.
Steve Johnson Bio
Steve grew up in Belleville but was originally from St. Louis. His father was a St. Louis Metropolitan Police Officer who later became the Director of the Police Academy at SWIC and eventually the Provost of the Granite City Campus of SWIC. Steve’s mother was a nurse who later became a banking executive.
Steve enjoyed his time at Belleville East. His brother and sister, who are twins, graduated the year before him and his younger brother the year behind him. Steve ran varsity cross country and varsity track while working at a local restaurant and volunteering as a Law Enforcement Explorer with the Sheriff’s Department.
After graduation, he pursued his degree while working full-time as a Deputy Service Aide at the Sheriff’s Department. He has served as a Police Officer and now Police Chief for a total of 35 years. He is a husband, father, grandfather, international law enforcement speaker, trainer, and mentor to many who want to enter public service. Steve graduated from SWIC with an Associate’s Degree in Administration of Justice, SIUC with a Bachelor’s Degree in Workforce Education, and Websters University with his Master of Arts in Management and Computers. Steve also graduated from the prestigious FBI National Academy in Quantico, VA.
Steve worked for 25 years with the St. Clair County Sheriff’s Department, the St. Clair County State’s Attorney’s Office for a year and a half, the Swansea Police Chief for eight years, and now serves as the Fairview Heights Police Chief. As an author, keynote speaker, and trainer, he has presented and written on professional law enforcement, leadership, cybercrime, criminal investigations, and officer safety.
Steve was the President of the Police Chiefs Association, covering all departments south of Chicago. In 2016, 2017, and 2018, the Belleville News-Democrat voted him the number one police officer (while Chief of Police) for the Reader’s Choice Award. President Obama invited him to the White House to join the 21st Century Policing Panel.
Steve made international news on Discovery ID, A&E, 60 Minutes, Lifetime (and numerous others) for obtaining a confession from a high school teacher who attempted to kill a student. The suspect choked her with a belt, then dragged her to a secluded wooded area and covered her in a shallow grave. After thirty hours in the woods, she was found alive by Steve and other detectives. The confession Steve obtained from the suspect after thirteen hours saved the victim’s life.
He has a diverse background as a professional law enforcement manager, training patrol officers, drug interdiction officers, undercover officers, and SWAT Commanders. He also spent fifteen
years as a supervising investigator, specializing in violent felonies and computer-based crime, and with the Major Case Squad of Greater St. Louis.
Steve is a member of
- United States Attorney’s Law Enforcement Coordinating Committee.
- Advisory Council’s Law Enforcement Committee for the St. Louis Area Regional Response System
- St. Louis Area Terrorism Response System.
- Past Director of the Metro-East Regional Computer Crime Enforcement Group.
- Statewide Police Perjury Task Force – appointed by the Governor (homicide investigations)
- St. Clair County Child Advocacy Center Board of Directors.
In addition,
- Overall local tactical commander for three separate visits by the President of the United States.
- On-scene tactical and administrative commander for several instances of barricaded murder suspects, hostage situations, suicidal by cop, jail disturbances, and large civil protests/disturbances.
- Operational manager for active shooter live practice sessions involving numerous schools, colleges, and universities.
Steve has received over 75 Awards of Excellence, ranging from Deputy of the Year, granted by the St. Clair County Sheriff’s Department, to command awards from the Major Case Squad of Greater St. Louis, St. Clair County State’s Attorney’s Office, the US Attorney’s Office, the FBI, and many other local civic and community groups.
- Member of the FBI National Academy Association (MO and IL),
- Southern Illinois Police Chiefs’ Association (President),
- Training Board for Police
- Fraternal Order of Police,
- International Homicide Investigators’ Association,
- International Police Association,
- Illinois Sheriffs’ Association,
- National Deputy Sheriffs’ Association
- Fairview Heights and Swansea Rotary Clubs.
- “Big in Blue” for Big Brothers Big Sisters to a fourteen-year-old named Elijah.
Steve met his wife in jail (she was a correctional officer); she is now a high school teacher. They have two children: one is a teacher, and the younger is in her second year of law school. Steve and his family live locally and have two grandchildren who love to camp and boat with him.