GM North America General Counsel Chris Johnson Named African American Executive Of The Year At 2005 Urban Wheel Awards

DETROIT - E. Christopher Johnson, Jr., General Motors North America Vice President and General Counsel, has received a 2005 Urban Wheel Award as the auto industry's African American Executive of the Year. The honor was announced at the ninth annual Urban Wheel Awards ceremony held during preview week of the 2005 North American International Auto Show. The Urban Wheel Awards recognize the auto industry's top achievements in reaching diverse markets and advancing diversity within the industry.

Johnson was selected by an 11-member panel of prominent journalists and community leaders assembled by On Wheels Inc., a national publishing company based in Detroit. On Wheels Inc. publishes African Americans On Wheels and Latinos On Wheels magazines, which are distributed in more than 80 U.S. newspapers.

Johnson oversees GM's legal operations in the United States, Canada and Mexico as leader of a 200-member legal staff and manager of strategic relations with more than 500 external law firms. He was honored for his work to increase racial and cultural diversity within GM's legal operations and the entire legal profession. In 2003, Johnson challenged GM's legal department to dramatically increase business done with minority and women-owned firms. As of December 2004, with a full year left in Johnson's challenge period, GM's payments to women-owned firms and female lawyers have increased 23 percent, and payments to minority law firms and minority lawyers have increased 75 percent.

"As lawyers representing GM, we will be more effective in our nation's courtrooms, statehouses and business settings when we reflect the diversity of our juries, lawmakers and business partners," Johnson said. "I want to help open the doors to the legal profession and the U.S. justice system, and GM has encouraged my efforts to make that possible."

In 2002, Johnson worked with legal colleagues at Ford Motor Co. and Comerica Bank to organize and hold a Minority Outside Counsel Networking Conference. This conference attracted 350 African-American, Hispanic and Asian-American lawyers from around the nation to Detroit for introductions to the legal staffs of GM, Ford and Comerica.

For his leadership in promoting diversity, Johnson was awarded the 2004 Spirit of Excellence Award by the American Bar Association, as well as the 2004 Michael Franck Award by the State Bar of Michigan. The independent Diversity in the Bar organization ranked GM's legal department as the fourth best among U.S. corporations in 2004.

"GM's legal staff and the entire corporation are truly proud of Chris Johnson and of the Urban Wheel Award which recognizes Chris' effectiveness as North America General Counsel and his leadership on diversity issues," said Tom Gottschalk, GM Executive Vice President and General Counsel. "One important example is his involvement with the National Street Law Program, which has produced a partnership between GM and Detroit Public Schools in an initiative that encourages urban high school students to consider legal careers."

Johnson was appointed General Motors North America Vice President and General Counsel in October 2001, after serving briefly as GM's assistant general counsel for global policy and planning. From 1994 to March 2001, he served as corporate law and transactions practice area manager at GM. Johnson graduated with honors from New York Law School in 1981, receiving an American Jurisprudence Award for constitutional law and serving as student body president. Johnson is a 1973 graduate of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point. He served in the U.S. Army from 1973-1978, attaining the rank of captain and receiving the Army Commendation Medal for Meritorious Service.

Johnson serves as Chair of the Africa Law Initiative Council of the American Bar Association, and Co-Chair of the Detroit Bar Foundation, among other civic activities.

Johnson is a nephew of baseball Hall of Famer Roy Campanella.