Michael J. Johnston joined the Claremont Graduate University Board of Trustees in 1989. From 1994 to 2001, he served as board chair. During this time, he helped ensure the successful transition from Claremont Graduate School to Claremont Graduate University in 1998, which enabled the institution to vastly broaden and advance its educational mission. The president of CGU at the time, John Maguire, identified Johnston as the “preeminent board member.”
Johnston is a retired executive vice president of the Capital Group Companies. He also is a director of American Funds Distributors Inc. and Capital Strategy Research. Prior to joining the Capital Group in 1986, he was president of Paine Webber Capital Markets.
In addition to his role on the board, Johnston also serves on SPE’s Board of Visitors. He currently serves as a trustee and board chair at the New School in New York City. Johnston has also served as a trustee of the Union Theological Seminary. His other affiliations include chair of the Harvard Business School Club of New York, trustee and vice president of the Schumann Center for Media and Democracy, and a member of the advisory board of the United Nations Foundation’s Investor Network on Climate Risk.