Roger Johnson Biography
Roger W. Johnson is one of a very small group whose career includes leadership positions in four institutional segments i.e. CEO of a Fortune 500 company, head of a major Federal Agency as well as significant leadership roles in non-profit art organizations and a major public university.
Since leaving the Clinton Administration in March 1996 Mr. Johnson has become a member of the Board of Directors for The Needham Funds, Inc., New York, New York; Sypris Solutions, Inc., Louisville, Kentucky; Insulectro, Lake Forest, California; Maxtor Corporation, Milpitas, California; and Computer Access Technology Corporation, Santa Clara, California; In addition, Mr. Johnson is a member of the Executive Committee for the American Entrepreneurs for Economic Growth. He has recently been appointed a Regent Lecturer of the University of California at Irvine, teaches a graduate course "New Leadership Roles", and is a trustee of the UCI Foundation Board and most recently at Claremont Graduate University. Mr. Johnson has also appeared as speaker and lecturer at various forums in California and elsewhere. Mr. Johnson served as the Chief Executive Officer of the Young Presidents' Organization (YPO, International), a private, not-for-profit education association of approximately 8,500 presidents and chief executive officers worldwide from 1998 until 2000. Also in 1998 Mr. Johnson and his wife Janice endowed the "The Roger W. and Janice M. Johnson Endowed Chair in Civic Governance and the Social Ecology of Public Management".
Roger W. Johnson, the first Republican appointed to a top post in the Clinton Administration, was sworn in as the Administrator of the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) in 1993. As the number one official at GSA, Mr. Johnson directed all functions assigned to this independent agency of the executive branch that employs some 16,800 people, had an annual budget of $11.7 billion and financial responsibilities of $64 billion. Mr. Johnson was also a member of the President's Management Council, tasked with ensuring implementation of reinvention initiatives, and was appointed by the President to the National Economic Council.
On the occasion of Mr. Johnson receiving a Honorary Doctorate degree from Clarkson University, President Clinton said, "Roger has brought the skills he developed so well in the private sector to his outstanding work at GSA, helping us to improve the way our government works. He has truly used his success to benefit others and I thank him for a job well done." Because of Mr. Johnson's extensive background in reinventing large, complex, global organizations, President Clinton depended on him to create positive change at GSA and deliver to the American taxpayers an agency that is viewed as the world's standard of excellence.
Prior to coming to Washington, Mr. Johnson was Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Western Digital Corporation, A Fortune 500 high-technology firm based in Irvine, California. During his tenure as Chairman, CEO and President from 1982 to 1993 Western Digital grew its revenues from $30 million to over $1 billion and became an international leader in the disc drive industry. The World Trade Center of Orange County named him International Businessman of the year in 1984, and the Los Angeles Times named him Technology Executive of the Year in l986. During this period he was also appointed to the University of California, Irvine Board of Trustees and also was a founder of the University's CEO Roundtable. He also served as a member of the executive committee of the Orange County Performing Arts Center and as their Vice-Chairmen of Development. He was also a member of the Pacific Symphony Orchestra Board of Directors.
Prior to joining Western Digital, Mr. Johnson was president of the Office Systems Group of Burroughs Corporation and executive vice president and chief operating officer of Measurex Corporation. Additionally, he has held executive positions with Memorex Corporation, the Business Machines Division of the Singer Company. Following college he spent three years on the General Electric Company's Management Training Program. He remained with General Electric for fourteen years in a variety of management positions.
Mr. Johnson was Vice Chair of Economic Issues for the American Business Conference, a Washington D.C. based organization consisting of 100 chief executives of the fastest growing, midsize companies in the nation. He also served on the Board of Directors of AmeraCorp Communities; American Stock Exchange; Pacific Scientific Company; American Woman's Economic Development Corporation; Quintec Industries, Inc.; and is a member of the Black Chamber of Commerce of Orange County.
He has been acclaimed for his personal and professional accomplishments as well as his involvement in arts and philanthropic organizations. In recognition of their significant contributions, Mr. Johnson and his wife, Janice, have been recipients of many awards including the prestigious "Living is Giving" Award from the Volunteers of America Association
Mr. Johnson has been interviewed on all the major networks including ABC's Good Morning America, Larry King Live, and CNBC, and he has conducted many interviews on talk radio shows such as the Michael Jackson Show in L.A. and the syndicated Judy Jarvis Show as well as dozens of interviews with the print media.
Born in Hartford, Connecticut, the son of a Labor Union President, Mr. Johnson received a Bachelor of Business Administration degree from Clarkson University in Potsdam, New York, in 1956, and holds a Master's of Business Administration degree in Industrial Management from the University of Massachusetts. In addition, he was the recipient of an Honorary Doctorate of Science degree from Clarkson University in 1994, and the Irvine Medal from the University of California at Irvine in 1990.
