1. Robert Wood Johnson IV was born on April 12,1947 and is an American businessman who is co-owner of the New York Jets and was formerly the United States ambassador to the United Kingdom from 2017 to 2021.
58 Facts About Woody Johnson
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Woody Johnson was the chairman and chief executive of The Woody Johnson Company, Inc.
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In 2006, a Senate subcommittee produced a 370-page report that said that some prominent figures, including Woody Johnson, purchased capital gain losses as a way to reduce their own income tax bills.
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Woody Johnson settled with the IRS in 2006, agreeing to pay the owed taxes plus interest.
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Woody Johnson was the committee president of the Pre-Commissioning Unit for the San Antonio-class ship USS New York.
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In January 2000, Woody Johnson purchased the New York Jets for $635 million, making it the third-highest price ever paid for a professional sports team at the time, and the highest for a New York professional sports team.
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Woody Johnson resumed his position as chairman in 2021 after returning to the United States, with Christopher Johnson becoming vice-chairman.
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In January 2023, Woody Johnson expressed the need for a strong quarterback to complement the Jets' robust defense, describing it as the "missing piece" in the team's lineup.
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Subsequently, Woody Johnson pursued four-time MVP Aaron Rodgers, stating to ESPN the importance of securing the best possible quarterback to lead the team.
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Woody Johnson has been widely criticized for his handling of the Jets.
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In January 2025, Woody Johnson hired Aaron Glenn as the team's new head coach and Darren Mougey as the new general manager.
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Woody Johnson, who became a fan of the team during his ambassadorship in London, was considered to have an advantage over other bidders like Saudi Media Group due to his familiarity with London and experience in sports management.
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Woody Johnson helped the league select a successor to NFL Commissioner Paul Tagliabue.
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Woody Johnson was later a major New York fundraiser for Bush's 2000 presidential campaign.
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Woody Johnson provided significant funding to 2008 Republican National Convention host committee; from a $10 million shortfall, Woody Johnson contributed personally and solicited friends to assist in covering the convention deficit.
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In 2011, Woody Johnson endorsed former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney in the 2012 Republican presidential primaries.
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In September 2013, Woody Johnson hosted a fundraiser for the Republican National Committee at his home in New York City.
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Nevertheless, in the 2016 Republican presidential primaries, Woody Johnson initially endorsed Jeb Bush over Trump.
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In June 2015, Woody Johnson was named the national finance chairman for Bush's campaign.
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In May 2016, after Trump became the presumptive nominee, Woody Johnson endorsed Trump for president.
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Woody Johnson met with Trump at Trump Tower and was named one of the RNC's six finance vice chairmen, responsible for an effort to raise $1 billion on behalf of Trump's campaign.
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Woody Johnson had by August 2019 donated $1.5 million to Donald Trump's presidential campaigns and inaugural committee.
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In February 2020, Woody Johnson gave $575,000 to a fundraising committee for Trump's 2020 re-election campaign, and $355,000 to the RNC.
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On January 8,2021, Woody Johnson released a statement condemning the 2021 United States Capitol attack.
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In 2023, Woody Johnson gave at least $1 million to a super PAC backing Trump's 2024 presidential campaign.
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Woody Johnson stood behind Trump at an election-night rally during the 2024 South Carolina primary.
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On January 19,2017, President-elect Donald Trump announced that he planned to nominate Woody Johnson to become United States Ambassador to the United Kingdom.
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Woody Johnson was sworn in by Vice President Mike Pence on August 21,2017, in the Oval Office.
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Woody Johnson presented his credentials to Queen Elizabeth II on November 8,2017.
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In 2018, Woody Johnson oversaw the relocation of the United States Embassy in London from Grosvenor Square, where it had been since 1938, to a new location in Nine Elms.
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Woody Johnson advocated for a bilateral US-UK trade deal post-Brexit, in line with President Trump's hopes during that time.
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Woody Johnson had a private dinner with Queen Elizabeth II at Winfield House on March 14,2019, just two days after British Parliament rejected Theresa May's Brexit plan.
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In January 2020, Woody Johnson stated that the US was never interested in the NHS, but reiterated American interest in a free-trade deal with the UK.
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Woody Johnson advocated for closer agricultural trade between the US and UK, and the deregulation of US food exports to Britain.
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In March 2019, Woody Johnson wrote an article in the Daily Telegraph saying that chlorinated chicken was a "public safety no-brainer" and that health fears over hormone-fed beef were "myths".
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Woody Johnson advised the UK government to ban Huawei from being used in the nation's 5G networks after departing Prime Minister Theresa May approved the company in early 2019.
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In July 2020, the State Department investigated allegations made by some current and former staff members that accused Woody Johnson of making inappropriate comments about issues concerning race, personal appearance, and Black History Month.
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Woody Johnson denied the allegations, asserting that the claims were inconsistent with his values and record.
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The State Department and the US Embassy in London stood by Woody Johnson, highlighting his professional conduct and dedication to US-UK relations.
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The New York Times reported, and the former deputy chief of mission at the US embassy in London Lewis Lukens later confirmed, that Trump had asked Woody Johnson to seek British government influence in obtaining the Open for Turnberry.
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Woody Johnson forced out Lukens several months later, before the scheduled end of his tenure in London.
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The report that Woody Johnson used his position as ambassador to promote the president's personal business interests sparked an inquiry by the State Department inspector general's office.
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In 1977, Woody Johnson married former fashion model Nancy Sale Woody Johnson.
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In early 2010, daughter Casey Woody Johnson died of diabetic ketoacidosis.
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Woody Johnson started a research foundation, the Alliance for Lupus Research, after his daughter Jaime was found to have lupus.
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Woody Johnson grew up in a Ukrainian neighborhood in Greenwich Village.
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Woody Johnson has homes in Bedminster Township, New Jersey, and Palm Beach island in Florida, residing in the latter since 2020.
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Woody Johnson formerly had an apartment in Manhattan, but sold the unit in 2014 to billionaire Leonard Blavatnik for $80 million, setting a record for the costliest co-op ever sold in New York.
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Woody Johnson is known for philanthropy, especially donations to medical research.
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Woody Johnson raised money and lobbied to increase federal funding for lupus and diabetes.
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Woody Johnson is a trustee of the Robert Wood Woody Johnson Jr.
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Woody Johnson is the only member of the Johnson family to be invited to join the board of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.
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Woody Johnson was the chairman of the Juvenile Diabetes Foundation International.
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Woody Johnson was a chairman on the Council on Foreign Relations, and successfully lobbied Congress to approve a five-year, $750 million package for funding diabetes research in 2002.
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On October 24,2012, Woody Johnson wrote an opinion piece in The Wall Street Journal titled "The Folly of Defunding Diabetes Research", which urged Congress to approve long-term funding for the Special Diabetes Program.
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Woody Johnson visited the University of Birmingham in 2018 to discuss the university's diabetes research and research library.
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Woody Johnson is the founding chairman of the Lupus Research Alliance, which grants funding for research on improved diagnostics, treatments and prevention of lupus.
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Woody Johnson founded the legacy organization, Alliance for Lupus Research, in 1999 after his daughter Jaime was diagnosed with lupus, and he realized that there was a lack of research in that area.