Arthur Johnson, a veteran administrator who has served the last seven years on the athletics senior leadership team at the University of Texas, has been named the Vice President and Director of Athletics at Temple University, announced University President Dr. Jason Wingard.
Johnson's hiring is the next step in filling out the senior team that will enable Temple to become even stronger and a true leader in higher education, the community and the nation. "I am proud that each of my current cabinet member appointees have served in leadership roles at Temple for many years—demonstrating consistency of institutional knowledge and experience," Wingard said.
"Arthur Johnson exemplifies a transformative addition to the leadership team that optimizes our core capacity to implement an aggressive, new vision. During a remarkable 25-year career, he's been instrumental in raising the competitive profiles of three storied athletic programs—the University of Texas, the University of Georgia and Arizona State University—and he's uniquely prepared to lead and elevate Temple to a similar championship status," added Wingard. "After an extensive search that yielded intense interest from industry-leading candidates across the nation, Arthur emerged as best exemplifying the proud tradition, and expected future, of excellence in academics and athletics that Temple represents."
Johnson, in his role of Senior Associate Athletics Director for Administration and Operations at Texas since 2014, has been responsible for the internal management of the Longhorns athletics department. He played a major role on the senior leadership team that helped Texas capture its first-ever IMG Learfield Division I College Director's Cup in 2020-21, snapping a string of 25 straight first-place finishes by Stanford.
"My family and I are excited to join President Wingard's leadership team to serve Temple University and to make a difference in the lives of the student-athletes and the Philadelphia community," Johnson said. "What makes athletics so special is that they have the ability to bring everyone together, and that's exactly what we hope to accomplish here at Temple. Trust me when I say that students, faculty, staff, alumni and the entire North Philadelphia community will be proud to cheer on our Owls."
"With its Philadelphia location, top-tier academic programs and its commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion and access, all of the necessary ingredients are in place for Temple to be a force in Division I Athletics while developing great citizens who will make a positive impact on the world," Johnson added. "I believe the best is yet to come, and I cannot wait to get started."
At Texas, Johnson had direct oversight of a $35 million administration and operations budget while also serving as the varsity sport administrator for baseball, men's basketball, men's and women's golf, men's and women's tennis and men's swimming and diving with the programs combining to win six NCAA Championships during his tenure.
Johnson was also charged with implementing the University's first comprehensive athletics facilities plan which encompassed capital projects valued at over $750 million. These projects included the new $400 million Moody Center, scheduled to open in 2022, with the arena not only hosting Longhorn athletics teams but also benefiting the Austin community. He also directed the $175 million renovation to modernize the Texas football complex as well as the $10 million construction of the Dan Brown Baseball Development area.
Externally, Johnson was involved in the negotiations that led to the 2015 record-breaking apparel deal with Nike, a $250M, 15-year agreement that was the biggest in the history of collegiate sports at the time.
A true believer in putting the student-athletes first, Johnson fully supports the 4Ever Texas program, designed to educate, equip, and prepare Longhorn student-athletes for lifelong success. The program's prongs include Texas Tailored (Career and Professional Development), UTransform (Character and Personal Development), and Agents of Change (Community Service & Civic Engagement). The key program components center on name, image, and likeness (NIL), to equip student-athletes with knowledge and tools necessary to maximize their brand and platform.
Johnson also was part of the Texas athletics leadership team that worked hard to ensure the Longhorns student-athletes' success in the classroom. This is evidenced by the 2019-20 academic year where over 750 Texas student-athletes earned spots on the Big 12 Commissioner's Honor Roll (3.0 GPA) and a conference-leading 217 earned Academic All-Big 12 honors with 157 named to the first team.
Prior to his current position at Texas, Johnson served as the school's Senior Associate Athletics Director for Football Operation for three years (2011-14). In this role he oversaw the non-coaching operational and administrative leadership for the program. It was his second stint at the University as he had served in a similar capacity from 1999 through 2005 as the Assistant Athletics Director for Football Operations/Special Assistant to the Head Football Coach.
In between his time at Texas, Johnson served six years (2005-11) on the athletics staff of his alma mater, the University of Georgia, as the Bulldogs Associate Athletics Director for Internal Operations. At Georgia he served as the sport administrator for men's basketball while also providing strategic leadership on facility and capital planning with construction budgets exceeding $100 million.
A two-time Georgia graduate, earning his bachelor's degree in 1992 and master's degree in 1994, Johnson also had served as the Administrative Assistant for Football Operations at the University of North Carolina (1999) and the Manager of Football Operations at Arizona State University (1996-99).
A native of Thomasville, Ga., Johnson and his wife T'Leatha have a nine-year-old son, Aaron.
WHAT THEY'RE SAYING...
"Arthur is a home run hire. He has experience in every facet of athletics and is truly a servant-leader who builds strong relationships and cares deeply for everyone he works with, especially the student-athletes. He's such a great person, done an incredible job for us, and there's no one more prepared for this opportunity. I'm absolutely thrilled for him and T'Leatha and their son Aaron. Arthur has played a critical role in Texas Athletics for a long time, we will miss him and his family very much, but we know he's worked extremely hard to be ready to take on this next challenge. Temple got a great man for the job. He will be a tremendous asset to the athletics department and their entire campus community." – Chris Del Conte, University of Texas Vice President and Athletics Director
"Temple University has made a tremendous hire in welcoming Arthur Johnson as its new Athletics Director. Arthur is one of my best friends and my former roommate at Georgia and I truly can't think of a better person to lead the Owls and their department. He is incredibly well-respected and knowledgeable. Arthur is a true relationship-builder with great connections and is very detailed-oriented. He has experience at the highest levels working at multiple Power 5 institutions across the country in Georgia, North Carolina, Arizona State and two tenures at Texas. Temple has made an outstanding selection in Arthur Johnson and I can't wait to see the big things he does with the Owls' program." – Damon Evans, University of Maryland Director of Athletics
"Arthur will do a wonderful job as Director of Athletics at Temple University. The University is so very fortunate to have him leading its athletics program. He is the consummate professional, a servant leader and a tireless worker along with being a person of tremendous integrity and character. I'm thrilled for him, T'Leatha and Aaron." – Carla Williams, University of Virginia Director of Athletics
"The first thing I think about when it comes to Arthur Johnson is his great personality. He's so friendly and always has a smile on his face. But he's tough and does a wonderful job as a decision maker. He'll bring impeccable integrity to the Athletics Director position at Temple as well as a wealth of experience at so many universities with big-time athletics programs. I'm absolutely thrilled for Arthur and excited about the future of Temple Athletics with him at the helm." – Mack Brown, University of North Carolina Head Football Coach
"I have known Arthur Johnson as a professional administrator and friend for over 20 years, and I believe he possesses many of the same qualities as some of the excellent Athletic Directors with whom I have worked. These include Ted Leland at Stanford, Kevin White at the University of Notre Dame and Todd Turner at the University of Washington. Arthur's love for his program and the student athletes allows him to view all facets of the athletic equation. His ability to lead, listen, organize, and designate the right people in the right places enhances the strength of his team. When paired with his integrity, all these characteristics make him a leader I would love to serve as a member of his team." - Tyrone Willingham, former Head Football Coach (Stanford University, University of Notre Dame, University of Washington)
"I'm just delighted to see Arthur being called to be an AD. In AJ, the Temple athletic department and campus have found someone who is incredibly kind and thoughtful. Naturally, Arthur has the experience and qualifications, but it's his character and kindness that will impact so many young lives in a compassionate, generative and transformative way." – Howard Joffe, University of Texas Head Women's Tennis Coach
"I love this hire by Temple. Arthur Johnson is a really good man and someone I've admired for many years. This opportunity for him is long overdue, honestly. He has a great feel for what we do and for what it takes to achieve at the highest level. I believe the student-athletes at Temple are going to love him and respond well to his leadership." – Rick Barnes, University of Tennessee Head Men's Basketball Coach
"Arthur is an extremely diligent, hard-working and high character individual who sets a standard of consistency every day. In this day and age of "bottom line" thinking, Temple is getting an athletic director who truly possesses genuine care and concern for the student-athletes and coaches he serves." – Shaka Smart, Marquette University Head Men's Basketball Coach
"Arthur is a wonderful human being, a great husband and one the best fathers I have ever seen to his son that is just beautiful. So, Temple is getting someone who has good values, a good family man, a good example setter, and on the athletics administration side he is as good as you get. I have worked with him for a lot of years at Texas while he was (former football coach) Mack Brown's top administrative person and then when he was on our staff. He has a great way with people. He can see through a lot of tangles to get through to the core of issues. He can solve problems and Temple is very fortunate to get him and he is very fortunate to be at a great university like Temple." – DeLoss Dodds, former University of Texas Director of Athletics
"There simply is no one who understands the role of collegiate athletics and serving student-athletes and coaches like Arthur Johnson. He has spent his entire life's work in that realm, from his undergraduate days to positions at many universities with broad-based athletics programs - Texas twice, Georgia, Arizona State. He has been in a position where he has had to directly manage large budgets, complex decision-making processes with regards to facilities and staff, and always at the center of them has been a calm, thoughtful, wide-horizon approach about how to achieve the best for student-athletes and the coaches that we all serve. He is a wonderful family man, a great role model for student-athletes, both men and women, and this hire just speaks volumes about how hard work, dedication over time, and being good to people pays off in the end with great leadership opportunity. Temple will flourish with Arthur Johnson in a leadership role as Athletics Director." – Chris Plonsky, University of Texas Executive Senior Associate Athletics Director/Chief of Staff
"Arthur Johnson is a home-run hire at Temple. He was on our staff at ASU back in the 90's, wherein I have followed his career with great interest. Arthur, in my view, clearly represents the very best of the next generation of contemporary leaders within the collegiate athletics space. To be sure, Arthur is authentic, intentional, passionate, and will lead with unqualified integrity and poise. Once again, just a brilliant hire!" - Kevin White, VP/Director of Athletics Emeritus, Professor of Business Administration, Duke University
