Jason Johnson selected as Top CEO and Advocate Of The Year for K9 Heroes by IAOTP 2026
The International Association of Top Professionals (IAOTP) will honor Jason Johnson at their annual awards gala in NYC at the Plaza Hotel
NEW YORK, NY, UNITED STATES, March 5, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- The International Association of Top Professionals (IAOTP), a leading global professional organization known for its prestigious annual awards gala and exclusive vetting process, recently selected Jason Johnson as Top CEO and Advocate Of The Year for K9 Heroes 2026 for his outstanding leadership, dedication, and commitment to the industry.Inclusion with the International Association of Top Professionals is an honor in itself; only a few members in each discipline are chosen for this distinction. These special honorees are distinguished based on their professional accomplishments, academic achievements, leadership abilities, longevity in the field, other affiliations, and contributions to their communities. All honorees are invited to attend the IAOTP annual award gala at the end of this year for a night to honor their achievements.
www.iaotp.com/award-gala
With more than three decades of experience in law enforcement, military service, and the global K-9 industry, Jason Johnson has built a life around one unwavering mission: to serve and protect those who once served and protected us.
As Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Project K-9 Hero, Jason leads one of the nation’s foremost nonprofit organizations dedicated to ensuring the best quality of life for retired Police K-9s and Military Working Dogs. What began as a deeply personal calling has grown into a nationally recognized movement. Project K-9 Hero provides 100 percent medical coverage for accepted program members, including office visits, surgeries, prescription medications, rehabilitation, medical equipment, and specialized prescription food. When a K-9 reaches their End of Watch, the organization also provides dignified end-of-duty services and a custom memorial portrait for the handler.
The organization’s mission is simple yet powerful: to serve those who protected our families, our communities, and our America. Its vision extends even further, working to reshape how society views retired working dogs by ensuring they are honored, respected, and cared for long after their service ends. Through its 177-acre Rehabilitation and Rehoming Facility, Project K-9 Hero offers a safe haven for retired K-9s who no longer have an owner able to meet their specialized needs.
In addition to leading Project K-9 Hero, Jason serves as CEO of HaloLights, LLC, where he oversees the Canine Health Analytics Monitoring Platform (C.H.A.M.P.), which supports the global K-9 community through advanced health-monitoring solutions. He is also the Chief Executive Officer of BlackBird Armament, providing innovative weapons systems and solutions to the United States Military, government, and law enforcement agencies. Further, he serves as the Board President of the Global Working Dog Consortium, a Service Animal Advisory Committee Member with National Service Animal Monument Organization, Chairman and Partner at Blue Star Valor, and as CEO of K-9 Solutions International, Inc., where he manages domestic and international contracts, training programs, and consulting services for civilian and government agencies worldwide.
Before founding Project K-9 Hero, Jason served as a Field Canine Coordinator for the Department of Homeland Security, overseeing and providing subject-matter expertise to federal and law enforcement canine teams nationwide. Prior to that, he was a K-9 Trainer, Instructor, and Course Developer for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, where he planned and led explosive detection courses for domestic and international federal agents, law enforcement professionals, and military personnel globally.
His operational experience also includes serving as an Explosives Detection K-9 Handler, Trainer, Kennel Master, and Protective Security Specialist for the U.S. Department of State in Iraq and Afghanistan. Earlier in his career, he served as a Police Officer for the City of Puyallup, Washington, and the City of Yakima, Washington, where he specialized as a K-9 Handler, SWAT Officer, K-9 Trainer, and Certifying Official. Jason honorably served in the United States Army as a Military Police Officer and is a proud veteran.
Before embarking on his current career path Jason earned a Bachelor of Science and a Master of Science in Security Management from Bellevue University, where his academic focus included homeland security, critical infrastructure protection, emergency management, cyber security, and risk analysis. His education provided a strong strategic foundation for the leadership roles he would later assume.
Over the course of his career, Jason has trained and certified personnel across dozens of federal agencies worldwide. He worked directly with the Pentagon’s Military Working Dog program, providing homemade explosives detection training to more than 1,000 dogs prior to deployment to the Middle East. He also played a role in developing and instructing the ATF’s first Special Response Team Dual-Purpose Patrol and Explosives Detection Canine, as well as its off-leash Search Enhanced Evidence K-9 Program.
Throughout his illustrious career, Jason has received numerous awards and accolades and has been recognized worldwide for his accomplishments. This year, Jason will be considered for inclusion in TIP (Top Industry Professionals) Magazine. In December 2026, he will be honored at IAOTP's annual awards gala at the iconic Plaza Hotel in New York City for his selection as Top CEO and Advocate for K9 Heroes.
Beyond his operational and executive work, Jason is also a published author of two children’s books, K-9 Flash Becomes A Hero, and K-9 Flash A Hero’s Hero, inspired by his own K-9 partner, Flash. In 2018, Flash was named Law Enforcement Hero Dog of the Year in the country by American Humane. Jason is a former Master’s Course University Instructor, a published academic author, and an Executive Producer of television and film projects centered on the K-9 profession. Today, he continues to advocate at the national level, actively working with members of Congress in Washington, DC, to advance the K-9 Hero Act, legislation designed to bring lasting, positive change to the K-9 community for generations to come.
The President of the International Association of Top Professionals (IAOTP), Stephanie Cirami, stated, "Choosing Jason Johnson for this honor was an easy decision for our panel to make. Jason is inspirational, influential, and a true visionary and thought leader. We cannot wait to meet him and celebrate his accomplishments at this year's gala."
Looking back, Jason attributes his success to his determination, work ethic, and mentors along the way. When not working, he enjoys traveling and spending time with family. At the heart of Jason Johnson’s career is not simply leadership, but loyalty. His life’s work reflects a deep belief that service deserves honor, and that the heroes who once stood on the front lines deserve dignity, care, and protection in return.
For more information visit: https://projectk9hero.org/
About IAOTP
The International Association of Top Professionals (IAOTP) is an international boutique networking organization that handpicks the world’s finest, most prestigious top professionals from different industries. These top professionals are given an opportunity to collaborate, share their ideas, be keynote speakers, and to help influence others in their fields. This organization is not a membership that anyone can join. You have to be asked by the President or be nominated by a distinguished honorary member after a brief interview.
IAOTP’s experts have given thousands of top prestigious professionals around the world, the recognition and credibility that they deserve and have helped in building their branding empires. IAOTP prides itself to be a one-of-a-kind boutique networking organization that hand picks only the best of the best and creates a networking platform that connects and brings these top professionals to one place.
For More information on IAOTP please visit: www.iaotp.com
Annette Natoli
IAOTP
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