January 5, 2006

Distinguished Lecture Series Brings BET Founder & Chair Robert L. Johnson to
Nova Southeastern University

FT. LAUDERDALE-DAVIE, FL— Business students at Nova Southeastern University’s H. Wayne Huizenga School of Business & Entrepreneurship will learn first-hand about overcoming business challenges from one of the most successful entrepreneurs in the country, Robert L. Johnson, founder and chairman of Black Entertainment Television (BET) and The RLJ Companies. Johnson, the featured guest of the Distinguished Lecture Series, will speak at 10:30 a.m., on Monday, January 23 in the Carl DeSantis Building, William S. Spears Courtyard Atrium on NSU’s main campus.

Johnson, who has a master’s degree in International Affairs from Princeton University, founded BET in 1980, the nation’s first and leading television network providing entertainment, music, news, sports, and public affairs programming for the African-American audience. Under Johnson’s leadership, BET became the first African American-owned company publicly traded on the New York Stock Exchange.
Johnson is also the first African-American majority owner of a major sports franchise – the expansion Charlotte Bobcats of the NBA - and is the owner of the WNBA’s Charlotte Sting.

In 2000, Johnson sold BET to Viacom for approximately $3 billion and signed a multi-year contract to continue to serve as chief executive officer.  This all-stock transaction made Johnson the second-largest individual shareholder in Viacom.

After selling BET, Johnson formed The RLJ Companies, which has interests in companies operating in the professional sports, hospitality/restaurant, real estate, financial services, gaming and recording industries; plus sole ownership of one of the nation’s largest and oldest collections of African-American art – the Barnett-Aden Collection. 

For more information about the Distinguished Lecture Series, or to RSVP, call (954) 262-5065.