Robert Louis Johnson is a media mogul, philanthropist, entrepreneur, and investor from the United States. He founded RLJ Companies, which invests in various business sectors, and he was also a co-founder of BET, which was later acquired by Viacom in 2001.
He also owns a majority stake in the Charlotte Bobcats. He was named America’s first billionaire in 2001, and his companies were among the most prominent African-American businesses in the early and late twentieth centuries.
Quick Facts
| Celebrated Name: | Bob Johnson |
| Real Name/Full Name: | Robert Louis Johnson |
| Gender: | Male |
| Age: | 77 years old |
| Birth Date: | 8 April 1946 |
| Birth Place: | Hickory, Mississippi, USA |
| Nationality: | American |
| Height: | 1.7m |
| Weight: | 79kg |
| Sexual Orientation: | Straight |
| Marital Status: | Divorced |
| Wife/Spouse (Name): | Sheila Johnson, Lauren Wooden |
| Children/Kids (Son and Daughter): | No/Yes (Unknown) |
| Dating/Girlfriend (Name): | N/A/Yes (name) |
| Is Bob Johnson Gay?: | No |
| Profession: | Philanthropist, Entrepreneur, Investor |
| Salary: | $1 million per month |
| Net Worth in 2024: | $1 Billion |
Bob Johnson Biography
Bob was the ninth of ten children born to Archie JOHNSON AND Edna Johnson on April 8, 1946, in Hickory, Mississippi. His father was a farmer, and his mother was a teacher. His parents moved him and his siblings to Freeport, Illinois when he was a child.
Bob attended the University of Illinois, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in social studies in 1968. Bob was a member of the Kappa Alpha Psi fraternity at the same university. He earned a master’s degree in public affairs from Princeton University’s Woodrow Wilson School in 1972.
Bob Johnson Age, Height, Weight
Bob Johnson was born on April 8, 1946, and is 77 years old as of 2022. His height is 1.7m, and he weighs 79kg.
Career
After graduating from Princeton University, Bob landed a job in Washington, DC that introduced him to the television industry. As Public Affairs Director for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, he worked here. Around the same time, he was working as the director of communications for the National Urban League.
He was also the press secretary for Congressman Walter E. Fauntory. He later became the vice president of government relations for the National Cable and Television Association (NCTA).
Bob was able to learn the power of television’s untapped potential as a result of his experience. In 1980, he launched Black Entertainment Television, which later expanded into a full-fledged channel in 1983. Black Entertainment Television (BET) was the first African-American-targeted cable network.
When BET first debuted in 1980, it only aired for two hours on Friday nights. It was the first black-controlled company to be listed on the New York Stock Exchange in 1991.
Bob and Liberty Media purchased all outstanding shares of the company in 1998, giving him 42 percent ownership. Later that year, Viacom paid $3 billion for BET, and Bob profited handsomely from the transaction. He did, however, remain CEO of BET until 2006.
Bob Johnson later ventured into hotel real estate investment, private equity, financial services, asset management, automobile dealership, entertainment and sports, and video lottery terminal gaming through The RLJ Companies, based in Bethesda, Maryland.
Bob purchased the Charlotte Bobcats in 2002, becoming the first American majority owner of a major American Sports League team. In 2010, he sold his majority stake in the Charlotte Bobcats to Michael Jordan.
Bob and Morgan Freeman raised funds for hurricane preparedness in the Bahamas in 2011. In 2012, he collaborated with The Ella Rose Collection and PVH to create a neckwear line to benefit the Malaria No More organization.
Bob Johnson Achievements and Awards
Bob has accomplished a lot in his own right. He has served on the boards of directors of several organizations and businesses. Strayer Education, Lowe’s Companies Inc, KB Home, and the NBA Board of Governors are just a few examples.
Bob was named one of the greatest philanthropists for his contributions to various charitable organizations, including Malaria No More in 2012. He also invested in the Liberia Enterprise Development Fund, a $30 million seed fund for Liberian entrepreneurs.
Bob Johnson’s Net Worth in 2024
Bob Johnson’s primary source of wealth has come from a variety of investments that have produced high returns. This can be seen in his various assets, which include a 778-room resort in Liberia worth $12 million and 100 hotels in Dean White worth $1.7 million.
In 2001, when BET was purchased by Viacom, he sold a $3 million asset. He has also established a $30 million private equity fund in Africa. He also owns over 13,755 RLJ Lodging Trust Stock units. He sold RLJ stock worth more than $8.1 million. He also earns $2.54 million as the Executive Chairman of the RLJ Board of Trustees. Bob Johnson’s net worth is estimated to be $1 billion as of March 2024.
Bob Johnson, who rose through the ranks as an African-American, considers himself to be one of the greatest entrepreneurs of his generation.
Bob Johnson’s Wife, Marriage
Bob Johnson married Sheila Johnnson in 1969. The marriage lasted until 2001, and it produced two children. In 2010, he began dating Lauren Wooden, who was 33 years his junior. Lauren was pursuing a doctorate in international business management in Paris, according to her records.
Bob and Lauren were married in May 2016 at Auberge Du Soleil in the Napa Valley region of California, officiated by Greg Mathis. The ceremony’s intimate guests included actor Leon Robinson and music executive L. A Reid, and Bill Clinton’s former Chief of Staff, Mack McLarty. Their marriage lasted only until 2020 when they divorced.
