NEWS RELEASE

Contact: David West (west@alpha.nsula.edu )
News Bureau
Northwestern State University
Natchitoches, LA 71497
(318) 357-6466

10/15/2001

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

NATCHITOCHES - Three Northwestern State alumni who went on to distinguished careers in business or educating future business leaders will be inducted into the NSU College of Business Hall of Distinction Saturday, Oct. 20. The late Johnny Johnson, Dr. Tommy Johnson and Carolyn Sheridan will be honored at the annual College of Business Homecoming Breakfast at 8:30 a.m. in the Friedman Student Union Ballroom. Tickets are $5 and available at the door.

Johnny Johnson was a member of NSU's faculty from 1956 until 1978. While on the faculty, he was active in several professional and community organizations holding several leadership positions. Johnny Johnson was president and secretary of the National Association of Accountants; faculty member of Blue Key and faculty advisor to Sigma Tau Gamma fraternity. He was named Outstanding Professor at Northwestern in 1968 and received Sigma Tau's Distinguished Service and Outstanding Advisor Award.

In the community, Johnny Johnson served as a deacon in his church, treasurer of the Kiwanis Club, sponsor of the Key Club and Circle K. He also worked with the Natchitoches Day Camp, was a Mason and member of the Phoenix Lodge No. 38 F&AM, a member of the El Karuba Shriners Club and past-president of the Nakatosh Shrine Club.

A native of Vance County, N.C., Johnny Johnson served in the U.S. Navy for 11 years, achieving the rank of chief petty officer. He received his bachelors degree from the Northeast State College and then a masters from Northwestern.

In 1985, the Joseph W. Johnson Fund for Excellence in Business was established to help support a variety of activities for the College of Business and students majoring in business. Johnny Johnson died in 1992.

Tommy Johnson taught in Northwestern's Department of Business-Distributive Education and Office Administration from 1967 until 1986. He was department head for 15 years and was coordinator of the Center for Computer Literacy from 1983 until 1986.

A native of Otis, Tommy Johnson was a 1958 graduate of Northwestern, He taught at Mer Rouge and Glenmora before joining NSU's faculty. Tommy Johnson earned a Ph.D. in business education from Arizona State University.

While at Northwestern, Tommy Johnson was named Outstanding Young Educator of Natchitoches Parish, Outstanding Vocational Teacher of Louisiana and Outstanding Business Educator of Louisiana. He served in many educational civic functions.

In 1981, Tommy Johnson was the program chair for the National Business Education Conference in New Orleans and in 1983 he served on the Commission for High Technology Education. He was instrumental in developing the East/West Corridor Commission now an offically known as the El Camino East/West Corridor.

Tommy Johnson received the title of "Professor Emeritus" after his retirement.

Sheridan graduated from Northwestern in 1966. She received the Wall Street Journal Award as the Most Outstanding Business Administration Graduate that year. While at Northwestern, she was also on the State Fair Court for two years and was Homecoming Queen.

Sheridan was an employee for BellSouth for 25 years. She was manager for corporate and external affairs in New Orleans, manager for human resources responsible for management hiring in La., Miss. and Ala. Sheridan also designed covers for 4,000,000 phone directories in La.

In the community, Sheridan was a member New Orleans Press Club, the New Orleans Association of International Business Communicators, the Southern College Placement Association and was vice president of the Louisiana Placement Association.

She worked as a loaned executive and manager of BellSouth Media Center at 1984 World's Fair. She was also a loaned executive at the 1988 Republican National Convention in New Orleans and for the United Way.

Before joining BellSouth, Sheridan worked for General Electric in Shreveport as
manager of corporate and external affairs and manager of human resources.

Main Menu