LYNN – General Electric River Works General Manager and Area Executive Corinne Johnson succumbed to cancer Monday at the age of 49. (Obituary information on page C5.)Johnson, an Andover resident and Melrose native, was appointed as general manager and site area executive in March 2002. She had previously served as River Works’ environmental health and safety leader. She had also served a stint at a GE plant in Hooksett, N.H., a components manufacturing operation with more than 800 employees.”She was an alpha personality, very bright, driven, good at handling more than one thing at a time,” said Bob Risch, retired GE government relations manager.When selection began to replace Timothy Noonan as River Works manager, which involved overseeing its nearly 5,000 union and management employees, Riche said people noticed Johnson.”A manufacturing setting is a tough row to hoe for anyone, but she displayed attributes that got her noticed,” he said. “She had a take charge manner that you could detect when she looked you in the eye. She had a firm handshake.”Former Lynn Area Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Kevin Donahue called Johnson’s death a tragedy.”She always supported the Lynn community,” he said. “In an age when a lot of corporations are cutting back on philanthropy and community sponsorships, GE has always been and still is the number one corporate citizen in the city of Lynn and that comes from her leadership. She worked hard to make that plant efficient. She was an outstanding businessperson, period.”Johnson earned a bachelor of science degree in environmental health from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst in 1980. Upon graduation, she began working for Avco Corp., holding a number of assignments related to environmental health and safety at various locations. She simultaneously pursued and received a master of science degree in environmental engineering from Northeastern University.After seven years with Avco, she joined Arthur D. Little as a consultant in its health and safety practice, working for private and public organizations in the U.S. and abroad.In 1990, she began working as environmental health and safety manager for GE at its aircraft engine business in Lynn. Three years later she assumed additional responsibilities for the company’s utilities and facilities engineering organizations.She later worked to integrate the three organizations for the Lynn site.In 1995, Johnson was named plant manager of GE’s Hooksett Manufacturing Plant in Hooksett, N.H.By January 2000, she was Master Black Belt overseeing all productivity initiatives for aircraft engines. At the same time, she assumed leadership responsibilities for the Unigraphics Technology Team.General Electric Spokesman Rich Gorham said it was with tremendous sadness and regret that he announced Johnson’s passing.”Corinne succumbed to cancer but not before leaving a lasting imprint as a devoted mother, loving daughter, caring friend, respected leader and valued colleague.In her private life, Johnson was known as an avid Red Sox fan. She was also a board member at Girls Incorporated of Lynn and took great pride in her son, Jimmy.(Item reporter Thor Jourgensen contributed to this report.)