Richard & Marsha Johnson Fund for East & Southeast Asia Studies

Richard Johnson, W’64 and Marsha Wright Johnson, CW’64 established this fund in 2007 to support acquisitions in the field of East and Southeast Asia Studies. “While both Marsha and I graduated from Penn with ‘predictable’ degrees, our experience thereafter took an unexpected turn. For the better part of 33 years, we lived and worked throughout Asia. The Asia we see today is nothing like that which we encountered in 1972. The nature, and rate, of change has been phenomenal. We wanted to provide an opportunity for Penn students and faculty to study and understand these changes both as an aid to understanding Asia as a part of today's global world and to look forward to what may come next."

Dick served as one of the Founding Co-Chairs of the Orrery Society, the Penn Libraries’ stewardship society established in 2008 to recognize individuals and groups who contribute to the enhancement of the Libraries’ collections. He played a key role in the strategic planning for the public launch of the Society, and served in an ex-officio status on the Penn Libraries Board of Overseers from 2007-2010.

In his professional life, Dick is founder of RSJ Strategic Advisory, a consulting firm that provides guidance in strategic direction with emphasis on consumer products and services in Asia. Based in Asia from 1972-2005, his career in consumer goods marketing included executive level appointments with PepsiCo, R.J. Reynolds, Tupperware, and, most recently, Amway. Dick was Executive Director of the World Federation of Direct Selling Associations as well as Representative Director of both the Japanese and Korean Direct Selling Associations. He served as Governor of the American Chamber of Commerce in Japan, and on the Boards of Temple University in Japan, and Friends of the International Red Cross in Japan.

Dick graduated from Wharton with a degree in Economics in 1964, and received his MBA from Harvard Business School in 1966. Marsha received her degree in English from the College of Women in 1964.