Born Robert Louis Johnson on the 8th April 1946, in Hickory, Mississippi USA, he is a businessman and executive, best known to the world as the founder of the Black Entertainment Network (BET), which he subsequently sold to Viacom in 2001. His career has been active since the 1970s.
Have you ever wondered how rich Robert L. Johnson is, as of mid- 2016? According to authoritative sources, it has been estimated that Johnson`s net worth is as high as $600 million, an amount he has acquired through his successful career in the entertainment industry. Apart from BET, he has also launched the RLJ Companies, which is an investment company, and it has also increased his net worth.
Robert L. Johnson Net Worth $600 Million
Robert has eight siblings; his mother Edna was a teacher, and father Archie Johnson, who worked as a farmer, moved the whole family to Freeport, Illinois, when Robert was still a child, where he went in Freeport High School, after which he enrolled at the University of Illinois. Four years later he graduated with a bachelor`s degree in social studies. Robert continued his education at the Woodrow Wilson School of Princeton University, from which he obtained a Master`s degree in public affairs.
After Princeton, Robert entered the real world, by finding a job as the public affairs director for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. At the same time, Robert also worked as the director of communications for the Washington, D.C. office of the National Urban League, gaining needed knowledge to start a business of his own, and before long he left his daily job, and started the Black Entertainment Network. It was the first cable network with programming dedicated to African-Americans, and it slowly increased in popularity, which considerably lifted Robert`s net worth too.
After 21 years, Robert sold the shares of the company to Viacom for $3 billion, which increased his net worth to a large degree, but he remained as its CEO until 2006, increasing further his wealth.
Following his departure from BET, Robert found RLJ Companies, through which he has invested in numerous other ventures, including real estate, financial services, assets management, insurance services, car dealerships, and sports among many others, all of which increased the overall worth of his company, and by that his own net worth.
To speak further of his accomplishments, Robert has served on the board of directors of numerous firms and organizations, including the KB Home, Strayer Education, Lowe’s Companies, Inc., and NBA Board of Governors. Also, he bought the Charlotte Bobcats in 2002, but after poor management which lasted for eight years, he sold his stake to NBA Hall of Famer Michael Jordan.
Regarding his personal life, Robert married Lauren Wooden in 2016 – the couple has been together since 2010. Interestingly, Robert is older than her father, as she is younger than him by around 30 years. Previously, Robert was married to Sheila Johnson from 1969 until 2001; the couple has two children.
Robert has also been recognized as a great philanthropist, donating his money to numerous humanitarian organizations, including Malaria No More in 2012. The year before he teamed with Hollywood star Morgan Freeman to raise funds for hurricane preparedness in the Bahamas. Furthermore, he started a fund for Liberian entrepreneurs, with a $30 million investment, called Liberia Enterprise Development Fund.
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