Johnny C. Taylor Jr. facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Johnny C. Taylor, Jr.
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| Born |
Fort Lauderdale, Florida, U.S.
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| Alma mater | |
| Occupation | President and chief executive officer, Society for Human Resource Management |
| Spouse(s) |
Charlotte Smith
(m. 2002; div. 2007) |
Johnny C. Taylor, Jr. is an American lawyer, writer, and speaker. He leads a big organization called the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM). SHRM helps people who work in human resources, which is about managing employees and workplace culture. Before this, he led the Thurgood Marshall College Fund (TMCF). This fund supports 47 historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) in the U.S., helping students get a good education.
From 2018 to 2021, Johnny Taylor was in charge of President Donald Trump's Advisory Board for HBCUs. He also served on the White House American Workforce Policy Advisory Board. He is part of the United Way Worldwide Board of Trustees. He also serves on the boards of companies like XPO, Inc., Flores HR, and Guild Education. Mr. Taylor is a trustee for Jobs for America's Graduates. He used to be the vice chair of the University of Miami board.
Johnny Taylor writes a column for USA Today and hosts a podcast. These focus on topics about human resources. He is a well-known speaker and has even spoken to the U.S. Congress about jobs and workers.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Johnny Taylor was born and grew up in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. He was the top student in his class at Dillard High School in Broward County. He went to the University of Miami as an Isaac Bashevis Singer Scholar. There, he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Communication.
Later, he earned a Master of Arts degree from Drake University. He also got a law degree (called a Juris Doctor) from the Drake Law School. While studying law, he worked as a research editor for the Drake Law Review. He also argued on the National Moot Court Team. He is allowed to practice law in Florida, Illinois, and Washington, D.C.
Career Highlights
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Johnny Taylor has held important jobs in human resources and law. He worked for Viacom and its companies, like Blockbuster Entertainment, Paramount Pictures, and Alamo Rent a Car. He was the main lawyer and corporate secretary for Compass Group USA. After that, he became a partner and CEO at the McGuireWoods law firm.
He also worked for IAC/InterActiveCorp, a media company. He started as the senior vice president of human resources. Then, he became the president and CEO of one of IAC's companies, RushmoreDrive.
From 2010 to 2017, Johnny Taylor led the Thurgood Marshall College Fund (TMCF). This organization supports 47 publicly funded historically Black colleges and universities. It also helps six law schools and two medical schools. TMCF helps over 300,000 students.
On June 1, 2017, the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) chose Johnny Taylor as its president and CEO. His job was to make the organization stronger and more modern. He helped SHRM improve its finances. He also created a "challenge culture" where employees are encouraged to share their ideas.
In July 2024, Johnny Taylor led SHRM to focus more on "inclusion and diversity" (I&D). He explained that this approach helps bring people together.
As an Author
Johnny Taylor wrote a book in 2021 called Reset: A Leader’s Guide to Work in an Age of Upheaval. He also helped write The Trouble with HR: An Insider's Guide to Finding and Keeping the Best People. This book talks about how to manage employees, pay, benefits, and training.
His weekly column in USA Today is called "Ask HR." In it, he writes about topics like employee tiredness, how productive people are at work, and workplace culture. He also writes articles for other news sources, like U.S. News & World Report. He has written about being polite at work, especially when there are political differences. Johnny Taylor also hosts a podcast called “The Work Wire” with Bob Goodwin. They talk about how current news affects the workplace.
Public Speaking Engagements
Johnny Taylor gives talks about the future of human resources. He speaks about business leadership, diversity, management, and how politics can affect work. He has been featured on TV shows like The Today Show and CNBC. He has also been in magazines like Time and Fortune, and newspapers like The Wall Street Journal.
In September 2021, he gave a virtual talk for the Big Ideas Speaker Series. He discussed his book, Reset, and talked about working from home and the importance of diversity. In 2022, Johnny Taylor spoke at the University of Miami graduation ceremony. On December 1, 2023, he was a guest speaker at the Global Peter Drucker Forum in Vienna. He talked about being creative and strong during changing times.
In May 2024, Johnny Taylor spoke at the Milken Institute Global Conference. He talked about how strong a workforce can be. In October 2024, he helped students at High Point University (HPU) as their "Human Capital Expert in Residence." That same month, he gave the main speech at the Global Conference on Human Resources in Accra, Ghana. He discussed how artificial intelligence and HR technology work together. In May 2025, Johnny Taylor spoke about leadership at Oklahoma City Community College.
Johnny Taylor has spoken to Congress many times. He has talked about issues like workplace harassment and paid time off for workers. In April 2021, he spoke to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. He discussed how the COVID-19 pandemic affected civil rights, especially for people of color and women. In February 2025, he spoke to the House Education and Workforce Committee about developing a skilled workforce.
Board Positions and Advisory Roles
Johnny Taylor serves on the boards of companies like Guild Education, Flores HR, and XPO, Inc. He is also on the boards of several non-profit groups, including United Way Worldwide and Jobs for America’s Graduates. He is the chairman of LifeGuides’ Social Impact Council.
He used to serve on the boards of the University of Miami, iCIMS, and Gallup Inc., among others. He also advised Safe Streets and Second Chances, a program that helps people who have been in prison.
Johnny Taylor has held several government jobs. He was the chairman of President Trump’s Advisory Board on Historically Black Colleges and Universities. He also served on the White House American Workforce Policy Advisory Board. This board helps advise on how to make sure students and workers have the tools they need to succeed. In 2020, Johnny Taylor was the guest of U.S. Representative Mark Walker for the State of the Union address. In 2024, he became an official advisor for Nectar’s Advisory Board.
Awards and Recognitions
- In 2011, Ebony magazine named Johnny Taylor one of the "Power 100" most important African-Americans.
- In March 2019, Drake University gave him their alumni of the year award.
- In 2020, he received the Distinguished Executive of the Year Award from the Academy of Management. That same year, he was named a top human resources influencer by the LaSalle Network. He also received a King Legacy Award.
- In 2021, CEO Update named Johnny Taylor the Professional Society CEO of the Year.
- Washingtonian magazine recognized him as one of Washington D.C.’s 500 Most Influential People of 2023.
Personal Life
Johnny Taylor married former WNBA player Charlotte Smith-Taylor in 2002. They divorced in 2007. Johnny Taylor has one child and lives in the Washington metropolitan area.
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