Johnson, Sheila C.
Founder and CEO, Salamander Hotels & Resorts
Sheila C. Johnson, Entrepreneur; Founder and CEO of Salamander Hotels & Resorts. As a leading executive in the hospitality sector, one of the nation’s top professional sports team owners, a pioneer in the entertainment industry, a prominent patron of the arts, and a champion of women’s empowerment around the world, Sheila C. Johnson has a distinguished record of accomplishment that reflects her wide-ranging passions. In 1979, frustrated at the lack of programming that spoke to the cultural, political, and social interests of African Americans, Ms. Johnson co-founded Black Entertainment Television. As Vice Chairman of Monumental Sports & Entertainment, Ms. Johnson is the only African-American woman to have ownership in three professional sports teams. In 2002, Ms. Johnson began developing the equestrian-inspired Salamander Resort & Spa. Today, it is part of a growing portfolio of luxury properties featuring four resorts in Florida managed by Ms. Johnson’s hospitality company, Salamander Hotels and Resorts, and is the official venue for the Middleburg Film Festival.