Libertas Adds New Board Members: Jonathan Johnson and Jeffrey Harmon
Salt Lake City, UT (April 12, 2018) — Libertas Institute is pleased to announce the addition of two new trustees to our governing board: Jonathan Johnson, former chairman of Overstock.com and current president of Medici Ventures, a blockchain investment firm; and Jeffrey Harmon, co-founder of both VidAngel and Harmon Brothers, one of the nation’s leading creative digital ad agencies.
“In the past six years, Libertas Institute has successfully positioned itself as an effective and strategic organization to defend the rights of each Utahn,” remarked board chairman John Pestana. “Jonathan and Jeffrey have very valuable contributions to offer as we work clear the path of opportunity for each Utahn by removing obstacles that limit freedom.”
Jonathan Johnson, a former gubernatorial candidate, currently oversees Medici Ventures, a wholly owned subsidiary of Overstock.com, Inc., that manages and oversees the company’s investments in firms building solutions leveraging and servicing blockchain technologies.
A graduate of BYU’s law school, Jonathan clerked for the Utah Supreme Court and practiced corporate law at two international law firms. In 2002, he joined Overstock.com to head its legal department. Within three months he was the fifth member of the company’s executive team. He has since served as president, CEO, and chairman of the board at different times. Jonathan’s leadership has significantly contributed to Overstock.com’s remarkable growth from a start-up to an international business with over $1.5 billion in annual sales.
“When Connor Boyack first approached me in 2012 about Libertas Institute, I was skeptical that it would succeed,” Jonathan said. “Observing the work of the Libertas staff from the sidelines, I have been consistently impressed with their demeanor, work ethic, and results. From civil asset forfeiture reform to economic liberty, parental rights, education reform, and more, the Libertas team offers well thought out proposals and make sure they become a reality. I couldn’t be happier to now join the team and lend a hand in growing the influence of this important organization.”
Dubbed the “Don Draper of the YouTube generation” by Wired magazine, Jeffrey Harmon was the primary architect of one of the most successful online video marketing campaigns to date. With over a billion views to his team’s credit, Jeffrey’s online expertise and strategy has helped grow small and medium-sized businesses into hundred million to billion-dollar brands.
A co-founder of Harmon Brothers, Jeffrey is best known for his involvement with widely recognized brands such as Squatty Potty, Poopourri, Chatbooks, and Purple. Along with his brothers, he also co-founded VidAngel, a well known filtering service fighting for families to retain the right to skip or mute things they don’t want to see or hear in movies and TV shows.
“I have been a proud Libertas donor, and have long been amazed at the successes this small team has achieved in recent years,” Jeffrey noted. “My children love reading the Tuttle Twins and have participated in Libertas Institute’s Children’s Entrepreneur Market—enjoying an actually free market due to this team’s effort to change the law to protect a kids’ entrepreneurial effort from being shut down as has happened throughout the country.”
“There is a clear need for the work this group offers, and countless Utahns—including my family—are the direct beneficiaries of their successful efforts to increase freedom,” he continued. “I am honored by the opportunity to help ensure Libertas Institute’s success continues and grows, and look forward to improving the lives—and safeguarding the liberties—of many more Utahns and their families in the years ahead.”
Both Jonathan and Jeffrey immediately join the existing board of trustees.