For Misty Ditmore Johnson, family comes first. From running a business with her husband to going on vacation with her sisters to attending her sons’ school events, Johnson’s life revolves around spending quality time with the people she loves.
Johnson attended Dublin High School for a year, but wanted to graduate high school early so she transferred to the Paradigm Accelerated School in 2002.
She graduated in 2004 and thought she’d enjoy being a cosmetologist, so she began taking classes to get her license. But she soon found that “it just wasn’t for me,” she said.
Johnson started taking online classes in business, and worked at various places in the area, including Rock House, an organization in Stephenville that helps people with developmental disabilities and their families, and also for her parents business, Ditmore Construction.
In 2017, Johnson and her husband Ben started their own business, UTS Boiler Service. “His family worked in boiler services in South Texas, so he did boiler work growing up,” Johnson said.
The company serves businesses around the U.S., installing and repairing their industrial water heaters. Day-to-day operations for the business are quite busy. The Johnsons do service calls for their clients, which include farms and factories producing meat, linen and more.
Johnson is in charge of the office side of the business. She enjoys the flexibility she has with the work. “It doesn’t interfere with me being a mom, because I can do what my boys need and still work,” she said.
She also likes engaging with their clients. “I’ve met amazing people that we do work for,” she said.
In the future, the Johnsons hope to expand UTS Boiler Service to serve more companies around the U.S.
When she has free time, Johnson usually spends it with her family. “Family is number one,” she said. Johnson and her husband have two sons, Hunter, 15, and Jax, 14. Both are in Dublin schools. Hunter plays in the marching band (Johnson serves as vice president of the band booster club) and Jax is involved in junior high sports.
Throughout her life, Johnson has turned to her faith when challenges arise. “It’s been tough, I can tell you that much, but I believe in God, and God got us through everything,” she said.
Johnson’s advice to Dublin graduates is to be persistent when it comes to their goals. “Don’t give up,” she said. “Keep pushing.”
Editor’s Note: This column chronicles what Dublin graduates have done since high school. If you have any suggestions for other grads, email publisher@dublincitizen.com.