In Appreciation of Colonel (Ret.) Jim Johnson, Ph.D.
By: Thayer LeadershipPhoto caption: COL (Ret.) Johnson, Ph.D., conducts a staff ride at West Point for Thayer clients, where he explains the strategic significance during the American Revolutionary War of the bend in the Hudson River
A heartfelt thank you to COL (Ret.) Jim Johnson, Ph.D., as he retires from Thayer Leadership after serving as a legacy faculty member since our first year. A scholar, soldier, and educator, his dedication and leadership have left a lasting mark on the countless leaders he has taught, guided, and inspired. He brought deep wisdom and insights to applying historical leadership lessons to modern-day challenges.
Jim has over 50 years of leadership experience with a 30-year career in the U.S. Army. He taught History at the U.S. Military Academy, the Naval War College, and Marist College for a combined 35 years. He plays a significant role in the Hudson River Valley Institute as Co-Founder & Executive Director Emeritus, as well as launching a non-profit organization to preserve the U.S. Military Academy fortifications through the Fortress West Point Project.
At Thayer Leadership, Jim was one of our resident staff ride experience leaders for Forts Montgomery and Clinton and served as part of our core faculty delivering West Point Staff Ride experiences. Jim also created our Legacy Guided Experience of West Point, which draws upon examples in history to highlight the legacy of several of West Point’s finest leaders. Participants learn new leadership techniques and contemplate how their actions today will frame their own leadership legacy.
Explore his passion for history as shared in his book, Key to the Northern Country: The Hudson River Valley in the American Revolution.