Johnson Publishing Co. President And COO LINDA JOHNSON RICE Receives Trumpet Award

Jet, Jan 31, 2000

Linda Johnson Rice, president and COO of Johnson Publishing Company in Chicago, which publishes EBONY, JET and EBONY South Africa Magazines, recently received the prestigious Trumpet Award during ceremonies in Atlanta.

Mrs. Rice was presented with a Trumpet Tower of Power Award which "trumpet the presence of a new generation of African-American business leaders" during the ceremonies at the Omni Hotel at CNN Center in Atlanta.

Johnson Publishing Company also has broadcasting, cosmetic and hair-care divisions and Mrs. Rice serves as president of the company's Fashion Fair Cosmetics, the No. 1 Black-owned cosmetics company in the world.

Mrs. Rice serves on several boards, including the board of directors for Kimberly-Clark, Bausch & Lomb Inc., Magazine Publishers Association and VIAD Corp., as well as the board of trustees for the University of Southern California.

She also is a member of the National Association of Black Journalists, the Young Presidents Organization, the Economic Club of Chicago and the Commercial Club of Chicago. She holds a master's of management degree from Northwestern University and a bachelor's degree from the University of Southern California.

Trumpet Award honorees are men and women who, through consistency and longevity, have achieved success in a chosen profession or career. They are people viewed not only for what they have individually achieved, but for the achievement they inspire in others.

In addition to Mrs. Rice, other Trumpet Award honorees include gospel artist Shirley Caesar; civil and human rights activist the Rev. Jesse Jackson, Sr., (Crusader Award); the Honorable Judge Damon J. Keith (Pinnacle Award); Patti LaBelle (Living Legend Award); veteran singer-philanthropist Lou Rawls; horse racing jockey Marlon St. Julien (Young Star Award) and airline captain Patrice Clarke Washington.

Other Trumpet Tower of Power Awardees include Tracey E. Edmonds, president and CEO, Yab Yum Entertainment and Edmonds Entertainment Group, Inc.; Ann M. Fudge, executive vice president of Kraft Foods Inc. and president of Maxwell House and Post; Earl G. Graves, founder and publisher of Black Enterprise Magazine; Debra L. Lee, president and COO of BET Holdings, Inc.; George R. Lewis, president and CEO of Philip Morris Capital Corporation; Richard D. Parsons, president of Time Warner Inc.; and Lloyd D. Ward, chairman and CEO of Maytag Corporation.

The Trumpet Awards ceremony was hosted by actress Lynn Whitfield (The Josephine Baker Story, Eve's Bayou) and Dennis Haysbert ("Now and Again").

The Trumpet Awards are presented by the Turner Broadcasting System. The mission of the Trumpet Awards is to inspire, educate, stimulate and enlighten human minds to the reality that success, achievement and respect are void of color and gender.

Ted Turner, vice chairman of Time Warner, Inc., credited Xernona Clayton, creator and executive producer of the Trumpet Awards, for coming up with the idea of the Trumpet Awards as a Black History Month tribute.

Turner Broadcasting System, Inc. created the Trumpet Awards in 1993 to demonstrate total community involvement, global respect for all humanity and a strong commitment to diversity. The Awards herald the accomplishments of African-Americans and others who have enhanced the quality of life for all Americans.

The Trumpet Awards will air Saturday, Feb. 26 at 8:05 pm. (ET) on TBS Superstation.