Friday's Internet Edition, November 21, 2008.
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- HUNTSVILLE — Gary Johnson, a 24-year veteran who worked his way through the ranks from correctional officer to director of the Texas prison system, was chosen as executive director of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice last week.
“I have no interest other than giving my total best to this agency as the team leader for the finest group of employees and administrators ever assembled in one agency,” Johnson said. “This is the greatest honor one can achieve in American corrections, but at the same time it is an awesome responsibility.”
Johnson, 46, was born in Rusk and succeeds retiring executive director Wayne Scott.
Scott is leaving after five years.
Johnson had also followed Scott to the director job after Scott was promoted to executive director in 1996.
“Texas and TDCJ are indeed fortunate to have an administrator of Gary Johnson’s stature. He exemplifies both the seasoning of proven experience and the energy necessary to continue TDCJ’s progress as one of the outstanding criminal justice agencies in the nation,” said Board of Criminal Justice Chairman Mac Stringfellow.
The board chose Johnson from 14 applicants and five finalists for the position which oversees 40,000 employees, 146,000 inmates and 80,000 paroled convicts.
Johnson joined the prison system in 1973 as a correctional officer at the Jester Unit.
He was promoted to sergeant in 1980 at the Eastham Unit and then to assistant warden at Ferguson on 1985. He made senior warden at the Galveston hospital unit and served as warden for both Clemens and Ferguson before being promoted to regional director for South Texas in 1995.
He became director of the Institutional Division the next year.
Johnson has a bachelor of science in criminology and corrections fro Sam Houston State University.
He graduated from Mesquite High School.