In the latest of a series of announcements, the nation’s oldest Black-owned magazine publisher, Johnson Publishing Co., announced that its CEO is exiting the firm. The full text of the announcement is below.
Johnson Publishing Company (JPC) and Desiree Rogers, who has served as the CEO of the firm since 2010, have announced that she will leave the company effective June 2.
Rogers joined JPC to help assess growth prospects for the company’s three divisions: Media (which included Ebony and Jet magazines), the Johnson Archives, and Fashion Fair Cosmetics, the world’s largest Black-owned prestige cosmetics company.
During her tenure, Rogers was instrumental in securing several capital investments as the family decided which assets to sell.
In early 2014 an investment banker was hired to sell the media assets resulting in a May 2015 sale. Additionally a contract was completed earlier this week to sell the Johnson archives.
Since the media sale, Rogers has focused on increasing the profitability of Fashion Fair as a standalone company.
“We are well positioned to continue my father’s legacy and move these businesses forward in the future — with our newly signed WME deal to develop Ebony inspired projects and our expansion into company managed counters for Fashion Fair. I am delighted to resume the leadership of both companies,” says Linda Johnson Rice, Chairman of Johnson Publishing.
“I have appreciated my time with the company and am proud of the work we have done here, guiding the sale of legendary assets and strengthening Fashion Fair with a new team. Now is the perfect time to pursue other interests,” Rogers said.
Rogers said she will continue to focus on the nonprofit and corporate boards on which she serves, in particular ChooseChicago, the city’s tourism bureau, which she chairs. Rogers also serves on the board of directors of the Conquer Cancer Foundation, the Museum of Science and History, World Business Chicago, the Economic Club of Chicago, the Commercial Club of Chicago, Donors Choose, and Cradles to Crayons.
She is also a member of the board of directors of Pinnacle Entertainment Inc.
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