Sheila Johnson
Encyclopedia
Sheila Crump Johnson is the team president, managing partner, and governor of the WNBA's Washington Mystics
, a position she gained before the 2005 season. On May 24, 2005, Washington Sports and Entertainment Chairman, Abe Pollin
, sold the Mystics to Lincoln Holdings LLC, where Johnson served as president. She is the first African-American woman to be an owner or partner in three professional sports franchises: the Washington Capitals
(NHL), the Washington Wizards
(NBA), and the Washington Mystics
(WNBA). Johnson currently serves as CEO of Salamander Hospitality, a company she founded in 2005. Salamander's portfolio includes: The Woodlands Resort & Inn, in Summerville, SC; The Innisbrook Resort and Golf Club
, a 900 acres (3.6 km²), 72 hole PGA
tour golf course in Palm Harbor, FL; and The Salamander Resort & Spa in the Blue Ridge Mountains in Middleburg, VA. (opening date: Spring 2012). The Woodlands Resort & Inn was recently sold to Charleston attoney Johnny Linton, but is still managed by Salamander.
in New York and funded the opening of the Sheila C. Johnson Design Center, combining classrooms, public program spaces and galleries. She sits on the boards of VH1’s Save the Music Foundation, Americans for the Arts, the Curry School of Education Foundation at the University of Virginia, and the University of Illinois Foundation. Johnson is also the Ambassador for the Healthy Site Institute, a member of the Council on Foreign Relations, and a member of Sigma Alpha Iota, International Music Fraternity for Women.
in Park City, UT. She served as sole executive producer on her second film, A Powerful Noise, which premiered at the 2008 Tribeca Film Festival
in New York.
. Together they founded the entertainment network BET
. They sold the company to Viacom
in 1999. They have two children.
In an interview, Sheila Johnson said she herself is "ashamed" of what the BET has become. “I don’t watch it. I suggest to my kids that they don’t watch it," she said. “When we started BET, it was going to be the Ebony magazine
on television. We had public affairs programming. We had news... I had a show called Teen Summit
, we had a large variety of programming, but the problem is that then the video revolution started up... And then something started happening, and I didn’t like it at all. And I remember during those days we would sit up and watch these videos and decide which ones were going on and which ones were not. We got a lot of backlash from recording artists...and we had to start showing them. I didn’t like the way women were being portrayed in these videos.”
After her divorce from Robert L. Johnson in 2002, she was estimated to be worth about $670M. In 2009, Forbes magazine estimated her net worth to be $400 million
On September 24, 2005, she married Arlington County Circuit Court Chief Judge William T. Newman, who presided over her divorce from Robert L. Johnson in 2003.
Johnson is a Democrat, although in 2009 she endorsed Republican Virginia gubernatorial candidate Bob McDonnell
.
In early October 2009, Johnson mocked the stutter of Democratic gubernatorial candidate Creigh Deeds
at a rally for McDonnell's campaign. She later apologized.
Washington Mystics
The Washington Mystics is a professional basketball team based in Washington, D.C., playing in the Eastern Conference in the Women's National Basketball Association . The team was founded prior to the 1998 season. The team is owned by Monumental Sports & Entertainment , who also owns the Mystics'...
, a position she gained before the 2005 season. On May 24, 2005, Washington Sports and Entertainment Chairman, Abe Pollin
Abe Pollin
Abe Pollin was the owner of a number of professional sports teams including the Washington Capitals in the National Hockey League , the Washington Mystics in the Women's National Basketball Association , and the Washington Wizards in the National Basketball Association...
, sold the Mystics to Lincoln Holdings LLC, where Johnson served as president. She is the first African-American woman to be an owner or partner in three professional sports franchises: the Washington Capitals
Washington Capitals
The Washington Capitals are a professional ice hockey team based in Washington, D.C. They are members of the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . Since their founding in 1974, "The Caps" have won one conference championship to reach the 1998 Stanley Cup...
(NHL), the Washington Wizards
Washington Wizards
The Washington Wizards are a professional basketball team based in Washington, D.C., previously known as Washington Bullets. They play in the National Basketball Association .-Early years:...
(NBA), and the Washington Mystics
Washington Mystics
The Washington Mystics is a professional basketball team based in Washington, D.C., playing in the Eastern Conference in the Women's National Basketball Association . The team was founded prior to the 1998 season. The team is owned by Monumental Sports & Entertainment , who also owns the Mystics'...
(WNBA). Johnson currently serves as CEO of Salamander Hospitality, a company she founded in 2005. Salamander's portfolio includes: The Woodlands Resort & Inn, in Summerville, SC; The Innisbrook Resort and Golf Club
Innisbrook Resort and Golf Club
Innisbrook Resort and Golf Club is a hotel and country club resort in Palm Harbor, in the Tampa Bay Area of Florida, United States. The complex consists of a 620 room hotel, four golf courses, spa, three restaurants, and conference facilities....
, a 900 acres (3.6 km²), 72 hole PGA
PGA Tour
The PGA Tour is the organizer of the main men's professional golf tours in the United States and North America...
tour golf course in Palm Harbor, FL; and The Salamander Resort & Spa in the Blue Ridge Mountains in Middleburg, VA. (opening date: Spring 2012). The Woodlands Resort & Inn was recently sold to Charleston attoney Johnny Linton, but is still managed by Salamander.
Philanthropy
Johnson is a Global Ambassador for CARE, a humanitarian organization fighting global poverty. Sheila's I Am Powerful Challenge raised over $8 million in 2007. She serves as Chair of the Board of Governors of Parsons The New School for DesignParsons The New School for Design
Parsons The New School For Design, known colloquially as Parsons, is the art and design college of The New School university. It is located in New York City's Greenwich Village, and has produced artists and designers such as Marc Jacobs, Dean and Dan Caten, Norman Rockwell, Donna Karan, Jane...
in New York and funded the opening of the Sheila C. Johnson Design Center, combining classrooms, public program spaces and galleries. She sits on the boards of VH1’s Save the Music Foundation, Americans for the Arts, the Curry School of Education Foundation at the University of Virginia, and the University of Illinois Foundation. Johnson is also the Ambassador for the Healthy Site Institute, a member of the Council on Foreign Relations, and a member of Sigma Alpha Iota, International Music Fraternity for Women.
Film
Johnson's first film, Kicking It, premiered at the 2008 Sundance Film FestivalSundance Film Festival
The Sundance Film Festival is a film festival that takes place annually in Utah, in the United States. It is the largest independent cinema festival in the United States. Held in January in Park City, Salt Lake City, and Ogden, as well as at the Sundance Resort, the festival is a showcase for new...
in Park City, UT. She served as sole executive producer on her second film, A Powerful Noise, which premiered at the 2008 Tribeca Film Festival
Tribeca Film Festival
The Tribeca Film Festival is a film festival founded in 2002 by Jane Rosenthal, Robert De Niro and Craig Hatkoff in a response to the September 11, 2001 attacks on the World Trade Center and the consequent loss of vitality in the TriBeCa neighborhood in Lower Manhattan.The mission of the festival...
in New York.
Personal life
For 33 years from 1969–2002, she was married to Robert L. JohnsonRobert L. Johnson
Robert L. Johnson is an American business magnate best known for being the founder of television network Black Entertainment Television , and is also its former chairman and chief executive officer...
. Together they founded the entertainment network BET
Black Entertainment Television
Black Entertainment Television is an American, Viacom-owned cable network based in Washington, D.C.. Currently viewed in more than 90 million homes worldwide, it is the most prominent television network targeting young Black-American audiences. The network was launched on January 25, 1980, by its...
. They sold the company to Viacom
Viacom
Viacom Inc. , short for "Video & Audio Communications", is an American media conglomerate with interests primarily in, but not limited to, cinema and cable television...
in 1999. They have two children.
In an interview, Sheila Johnson said she herself is "ashamed" of what the BET has become. “I don’t watch it. I suggest to my kids that they don’t watch it," she said. “When we started BET, it was going to be the Ebony magazine
Ebony (magazine)
Ebony, a monthly magazine for the African-American market, was founded by John H. Johnson and has published continuously since the autumn of 1945...
on television. We had public affairs programming. We had news... I had a show called Teen Summit
Teen Summit
Teen Summit is an American talk show/youth show that aired on BET. It dealt with the everyday issues of teens and attempted to bring them into a positive, uplifting light and motivate the teen viewers. Various hosts have appeared on the show throughout the years, including Ananda Lewis.The show...
, we had a large variety of programming, but the problem is that then the video revolution started up... And then something started happening, and I didn’t like it at all. And I remember during those days we would sit up and watch these videos and decide which ones were going on and which ones were not. We got a lot of backlash from recording artists...and we had to start showing them. I didn’t like the way women were being portrayed in these videos.”
After her divorce from Robert L. Johnson in 2002, she was estimated to be worth about $670M. In 2009, Forbes magazine estimated her net worth to be $400 million
On September 24, 2005, she married Arlington County Circuit Court Chief Judge William T. Newman, who presided over her divorce from Robert L. Johnson in 2003.
Johnson is a Democrat, although in 2009 she endorsed Republican Virginia gubernatorial candidate Bob McDonnell
Bob McDonnell
Robert Francis "Bob" McDonnell is an American politician who has been the 71st Governor of Virginia since January 2010. A former lieutenant colonel in the United States Army, McDonnell served in the Virginia House of Delegates from 1993 to 2006 and served as Attorney General of Virginia from 2006...
.
In early October 2009, Johnson mocked the stutter of Democratic gubernatorial candidate Creigh Deeds
Creigh Deeds
Robert Creigh Deeds is an American politician who was the Democratic nominee for Governor of Virginia in 2009. He also ran in the 2005 race for Attorney General of Virginia. He was defeated in both of the above races by Bob McDonnell. Deeds lost by just 323 votes in 2005, but was defeated by a...
at a rally for McDonnell's campaign. She later apologized.