Bio
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Johnson’s career started in 1984 with an engineering position in the Weapons Division at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory.
He joined IBM in 1985, selling computer systems to high tech businesses in the Silicon Valley and then to small firms throughout New York City . In 1990, American Express enlisted Johnson into its Executive Management Program as a manager in the company’s growing Corporate Card division.
His international background and love of sports led Johnson to the National Basketball Association in 1994, where, as Director of International Business Operations, he helped coordinate overseas activities as the league expanded its global business; Johnson was subsequently responsible for the NBA’s international consumer products licensing area.
In 1997, Nike recruited Johnson to head its branded basketball apparel business as a Product Line Manager at its headquarters in Beaverton , Oregon . After achieving a 70% increase in category sales, he left Nike two years later to help care for a terminally ill family member. Johnson was engaged in various consulting projects involving marketing and licensing during this time.
In 1999, hip-hop mogul Russell Simmons asked Johnson to manage the licensing arm of his Phat Farm brand as Vice President of Business Operations. Johnson left Phat Farm in 2000 to join Benetton Sportsystem as Vice President of Marketing for the company’s sports equipment businesses, Prince tennis racquets, Nordica ski gear, and Rollerblade inline skates. When Benetton sold off these brands beginning in 2001, Johnson began working full time on the creation of Black Fives.
His company then signed a multi-year licensing agreement with Nike, Inc., allowing Nike to produce a new line of products – called the “Legacy of Inspiration Collection” – comprised of footwear, apparel, and accessories that celebrate the pioneering teams of Black Fives Era.
Johnson holds B.S. Civil Engineering and M.S. Mechanical Engineering degrees from Carnegie Mellon University and Stanford University, respectively. He’s on the Advisory Council of the Carnegie Mellon University Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering and a member of the university’s Andrew Carnegie Society. Johnson is also an active member of the Association of Professional Basketball Researchers, the North American Society for Sport History, and the American Library Association.
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