Monty Johnsen
Celebrating SPRAY’s Technical Editor…
M ontfort A. “Monty” Johnsen has been writing for
SPRAY for a long time. Hired in 1985 as Technical
Editor for Aerosol Age (as SPRAY was called then) by
Publisher Margaret Hundley, Johnsen had written approximately
30 technical columns prior to then, and more than 300 since.
Johnsen was born in Brooklyn, NY in April 1925. After serving
as an Ensign in the U.S. Navy during World War II, he was honorably
discharged and completed a B.S. in Chemistry at Denver
University in 1948 and his M.S. in Inorganic Chemistry at the
University of Colorado in 1949. He completed his post graduate
work at the University of Illinois in 1952 and joined the staff as
an instructor.
“My father (‘The Baron’) was a master carpenter, able to construct
winding staircases and other complex structures,” Johnsen
told SPRAY.
“He learned the trade from from his father who was rather disappointed
that I did not carry on the family tradition, although
actually I have, by making huge improvements in all three of
the Danville, IL houses we have lived in. I currently have a large
woodworking shop in the basement of our present house.”
It was in late 1953 when Johnsen joined the aerosol industry
as the group leader of R&D for the Continental Filling Corp. in
Danville, IL. In 1955, he became one of the founding members of
the Peterson Filling & Packaging Co. in Danville and was named
Director of Research.
By 1962, he had become the VP of R&D, with responsibilities
in research, product development, quality assurance and regulatory
affairs. He was also elected to the Board of Directors. The
28 Spray April 2020
Peterson Filling Co. was purchased in 1964 by CPC International,
Inc. From 1965 to 1980, the company—then known as Peterson/
Puritan, Inc.—expanded to four filling facilities in the U.S. and
four international facilities; Johnsen was placed in charge of all
technical activities for the U.S. plants and had dotted-line authority
at the others.
“Marie Lambert was a chemist (Master’s Degree, U. of Wisconsin),
and when she walked into the Peterson/Puritan laboratory
unannounced, I hired her immediately,” recalled Johnsen.
“When we married two years later in 1968, she left to own and
operate a local beauty salon.” Fifty-two years later, Monty and
Marie are still happily married.
KIK Custom Products honored Montfort Johnsen—one its founders—along
with his wife Marie, in October 2017. His bust sits in the visitors’ entrance
lobby at the plant in Danville, IL.
Photo courtesy of J. Bailey, Danville Commercial-News.
In 1987, when Hi-Port Industries Inc. purchased Peterson/
Puritan, Johnsen decided to form an aerosol consulting firm—
Montfort A. Johnsen & Associates. At the request of Hi-Port, he
agreed to become its part-time aerosol consultant, retaining his
office and access to the facility in exchange for his vast experience
and knowledge. This arrangement has continued from that
point all the way through the present management (KIK Custom
Products).
“This consulting arrangement was originally established by
President John McKenna,” explained Johnsen.
“I visit KIK once or sometimes twice each week, talking with
chemists and occasionally the General Manager.”
Johnsen is credited as the inventor of five aerosol-related
patents. Additionally, he served for a record 11 years as a Board
Member for the (now) Household & Commercial Products Association
(HCPA). He was elected Chair of its Aerosol Products
Division in 1974 and Chairman of the Board in 1981.
In 2003, Johnsen was honored with the HCPA’s most prestigious
honor, the Charles E. Allderdice, Jr. Memorial Award for
his many achievements in the advancement of the aerosol indus-
Monty Johnsen presents the late Doug Fratz, HCPA Senior Science Fellow
(center), with an original aerosol “bug bomb” at the HCPA Mid-Year meeting
in May 2016. Marie Johnsen looks on.