Roger W. Johnson

Planning, Policy and Design

In Loving Memory

Roger W. Johnson

June 24, 1934 - February 25, 2005

Announcements

Donations

The family has requested that donations be made to the Johnson Chair for Civic Governance and Public Management.

Please make checks payable to: The UCI Foundation - Johnson Chair Endowment
Mail to:
Office of the Dean
300 Social Ecology I
University of California
Irvine, CA 92697-7050

Family members:

Wife:	Janice M. Johnson
Children:	Merek Johnson Cantor Erik Johnson Daniel Johnson
Grandchildren:	Avery Cantor Megan Johnson Sarah Johnson

Photos of Roger

If you would like to send pictures of Roger for the gallery, send them to:

Martha S. Feldman
Johnson Chair for Civic Governance and Public Management
University of California, Irvine
226G Social Ecology I
Irvine, CA 92697-7075

Email them to feldmanm@uci.edu.

Posted: 01/16/2007 07:33:42 PM

Roger Johnson was the best Administrator we ever had at the General Services Administration. I was the primary technical support person for his immediate staff, and I came to know him and respect him deeply. I was broken-hearted when he left GSA, and even more so when I learned of his passing. Mr. Johnson changed the culture at GSA for the better. His leadership, integrity, and great compassion were an inspiration to me. I will never forget him.

Kathy J. Farmer
Washington, DC

Posted: 05/17/2005 05:33:56 PM

My wife Alexis and I knew Roger from the Western Digital days. I will speak for Alexis who passed away suddenly, Jun 5, 2004. She idolized Roger having worked for him first at SDC in Santa Monica; then he brought her with him to WD. Roger made even the spouses feel like they were a part of one big, close happy family. I will always remember the Sales meetings in Hawaii and the summer picnics in Newport Beach. It was there that we got to feel the WD spirit really shine through. Roger recognized Alexis' talents and she rose to very high marketing positions.. Alexis died the same day as Ronald Reagan and Ray Charles. Now I can see her, Ronnie and Roger getting together sipping a cool one, strategizing on the world issues while listening to some great music emanating from Ray. I spend a lot of time looking at pictures, reminiscing the good old days and look forward to the days we will be together in eternity. God Bless all. Michael Colicchio >bandsawmgc@aol.com<

Posted: 04/11/2005 10:33:12 AM

Roger's unending optimism was a real source of strength for me. It was my pleasure to be able to work with him on a number of UCI projects, and it was my honor to be able to assist him with his philanthropy. He was also a true friend to many, and his willingness to cross over party lines and seek out the very best was refreshing. Roger sent me a signed copy of his book shortly before his passing, and I will cherish it for many years to come. Thank you Roger. --- Michael Losquadro

Posted: 04/08/2005 08:15:07 PM

Roger was a great leader, educator and inspiration to many people. But, did you know that he was also a great athlete? Roger had a vision of playing major league baseball, and given a break or two might have very well achieved his goal. Roger was also a good golfer, having won a tournament or two in his recent past - along with his wife and playing partner, Janice. Playing golf with Roger was an energizing and relaxing experience for me. Jim Newkirk

Posted: 04/08/2005 09:19:47 AM

(Part 2 from below)

Thank you Professor Johnson. You are my role model. I will always be grateful for the lessons you taught me.

Daphne Nadal
UC Irvine Alum'01

Posted: 04/08/2005 09:05:47 AM

I was a student in Roger Johnson's "Leadership" and "Fundamentals of Management" courses while I was a student here at UC Irvine. He was the instructor that made the greatest impact on my college career. I had the opportunity to listen to his life story and the lessons he learned. He also gave me the opportunity to meet and listen to the stories of leaders in all areas of our community. I was so blessed to have been able to learn from him at such a young stage in my life. Even though I graduated from UCI only 4 years ago, he has already had a great impact on my career path. I will continue to implement his words of wisdom in my life.

He taught me that a true leader is one that has vision, energy, compassion and the ability to move others in a positive way to accomplish a mission. It is through him that I realized what my mission is in life: to maximize my potential as a leader and to develop the leadership potential in others. Thank you Professor Johnson. You are y

Posted: 04/07/2005 03:19:28 PM

I met Roger when he was CEO at Western Digital and I was beginning my Deanship at GSM, UC Irvine. He was a polite and professional person and I enjoyed our interactions. One of things I remember most wa an incident after he went to Washington. We were on the same plane and took time to come over and chat with me. I was surprised he remebered me and was impressed with his sensivity and his interest in my life and my professional activities. I remeber Roger not only as a competent professional but as a pleasant and truly delightful person. I'll miss him.

Newton Margulies
Professor Emeritus and
Director of Executive Education, GSM, UCI

Posted: 04/07/2005 02:16:14 PM

Roger Johnson was a true gem -- a warm, wise, and sincere person. I first met Roger soon after I became graduate advisor in the then Urban and Regional Planning Department. He called to request a meeting, which seemed odd to me given that Roger was a former CEO and former director of the General Services Administration, and I was a newly minted Associate Professor. Roger seemed to me to be several ranks above my pay grade, so to speak, but upon meeting him I learned that he did not see things that way at all. Roger was always authentically interested in reaching out to persons and sharing ideas. There are a few persons who are truly wise, who teach by example and deed -- by the manner they carry themselves and the respect they show others. Roger Johnson was such a person. He will be missed.

Marlon Boarnet
Chair, Department of Planning, Policy, and Design

Posted: 04/07/2005 02:15:29 PM

Part 2 (from below)

At a personal level, I echo what many of the others have said. With some people, powerful in their small circle or in a county or country, you always sense that they're looking over your shoulder for the next important person. Not Roger. On the occasions when I spoke with him at UCI or in Laguna -- at Sav-On, or at the Farmers' Market with my kids -- he always took the time to chat, even in later times when he could not have been feeling well. That genuine connection -- which is hard to fake -- was a real gift he had, and a good example for us all.

John Dombrink, Social Ecology

Posted: 04/07/2005 02:14:19 PM

Dear Janice and Family -- I send along my condolences at this time on the loss of Roger. He was a remarkable person in many ways, as the memorial service displayed in wonderful terms.
As a faculty member in Social Ecology, I first knew of Roger as a trusted member of my colleague Mark Baldassare's board of advisors for his Orange County Annual Survey, which was helpful and a good sign of his approach to knowledge and policy. As a Democrat, I was impressed when I saw him on the Today show in 1991 or so announcing that he was supporting Bill Clinton (and the Democrats in general) in the 1992 election. That made a big difference. And I was grateful to have been the beneficiary of his connections when I (and many other students and neighbors) was able to walk to the Bren Center to see a lively session with Vice President Gore.
At a personal level, I echo what many of the others have said. With some people, powerful in their small circle or in a county or country, you always se

Posted: 04/06/2005 03:40:29 PM

The memory that best represents Roger's generosity and kindness to me: Many years ago when I was a green faculty member (and Roger was the very important head of Western Digital) I was called by a reporter for a quotation about some recent business event. In my foolish assumption that I was "teaching" this reporter something about the difference between a current day's stock price and the underlying value of a firm, I gave as an example Western Digital's large stock price drop of a day or two ago, saying something stupid like, "Obviously, this doesn't mean that Roger Johnson is any less competent today." The next day I was mortified, traumatized to read this in the paper, but when I called his office to apologize he could not be kinder or more generous about it. He was a great teacher. Jone Pearce, GSM, UCI.

Posted: 04/06/2005 03:27:53 PM

Dear Johnson Family,

Although I did not know Roger personally, I saw him at several of our events over the years. I also worked with his assistant when he helped us with the Corporate Directors Conference that was held in January 2004.

I am sorry for your loss. He was a great man.

Beverly Poland

Posted: 04/06/2005 03:27:27 PM

I wish we had many more Roger Johnsons, experienced in the real world and committed to passing along his knowledge to the next generation. Roger prodded, poked, and engaged his students--both graduate and undergraduate--to question assumptions and ask questions about leadership, society, and management. I enjoyed watching his eyes light up in an anticipatory way as he realized he was to have a chance to provoke a student into thinking about things in a different way. In these moments, he was like a child in a candy store; indeed, as Roger knew well, the good, sweet things in life can come from today's young people, tomorrow's leaders.

Scott Bollens
Former chair (1998-2003)
Department of Planning, Policy, and Design
UCI

Posted: 04/06/2005 09:59:59 AM

After meeting Janice and Roger at the home of Jim and Martha Newkirk, I had the pleasure of having lunch a few times with Roger. We talked about how much damage ideological enemies can do to someone. He shared his Washington experiences in that regard, and listened patiently to mine. It wasn't until later that I learned of his illness. What so amazes me now was his genuine interest in my problems, his patience in listening, his helpfulness, all expressed at a time when he was going through something far worse. I, amongst many others, will miss you Roger.
Your UCI colleague,
Elizabeth Loftus

Posted: 04/06/2005 07:10:44 AM

I meant Mr. Johnson briefly before he was to be the commencement speaker at UCI's Graduate School of Management, but his importance to Orange County, California AND the United States proceeded him, I felt honored to be in his presence. He was a great man, the epitome of a decent American citizen.
Victoria Ongie

Posted: 04/01/2005 02:30:45 PM

I met Roger in the process of establishing the Civic Governance initiative at UCI. That was a most successful and enjoyable collaboration, largely due to Roger's innovative ideas about public management. The thing that most impressed me about Roger, however, is quite unrelated to any university business. Roger's everyday interactions with people, irrespective of their power or social status, were always kind, concerned, and curious. He actually cared what others thought, and collected good stories and ideas in many chance encounters. Roger's ability to relate real life examples made him enormously popular and effective as a teacher at UCI. He will be greatly missed. Helen Ingram, Warmington Chair of Social Ecology, UCI

Posted: 03/30/2005 02:59:32 PM

Roger was one of the most empowering people I've ever met. I remember one time riding an elevator in the Santa Ana city hall. Several people were in the elevator whom we did not know, but Roger spoke to everyone and everyone left the elevator smiling. The ability to transform the quality of every day experience is truly a gift!

In my work as the Johnson Chair at UCI, Roger never told me what to do or how to do it, but was always coming up with ways to help. He offered ideas, resources, connections with no strings attached. Agreeing with Roger was never a condition for his support. He clearly cared that I shared a passion for improving management of government organizations and trusted me to undertake the parts of that project that suited my skills. He quickly became a friend and a mentor. I am going to miss him more than I can possible express.

Martha S. Feldman

Planning, Policy and Design

Roger W. Johnson

In Loving Memory

Roger W. Johnson

June 24, 1934 - February 25, 2005

Announcements

Donations

Family members:

Photos of Roger