J.R. Johnson

J.R. Johnson is the CEO and founder of Lunch.com, a social media website that helps people share and discover relevant information and opinions, and create free, custom Communities on any topic. It is based on the premise that finding our common ground with one another online will help to make the world more tolerant and understanding.

Before starting Lunch, Johnson launched the user-generated content website VirtualTourist.com in 2000. Under his leadership, VirtualTourist grew to one of the largest online travel communities in the world earning multiple honors, including Time Magazine’s ‘Recommended Travel Forum,’ Newsweek’s ‘Favorite Website,’ and one of Travel + Leisure’s ‘35 Best Travel Sites’. In 2004, Johnson launched OneTime.com, an online meta comparison tool focused on booking flights and hotels. Both websites were trending over 8 million monthly users and in 2008 when Johnson sold them to Expedia.

A Southern California native, J.R. attended the University of Southern California and graduated with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Entrepreneurship, he also holds a Juris Doctorate from S.M.U. Law School. Being a pioneer in the field of user-generated content and a frequent speaker at industry events, Johnson co-founded the Lunch for Good series, a program designed to encourage offline discussions and thought leadership around issues core to the future of online participation.