Attending NC State and the Wilson College of Textiles is why I\u2019m sitting here today. Our college is all about supporting students.
\u2014 Johnny Chapman \u201985<\/p><\/div><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\nLike all of us, though, Chapman is no stranger to challenges. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
During his first year as a student at NC State, which should have been one of the happiest times of his life, Chapman faced an overwhelming obstacle: grief.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Navigating loss while embracing hope<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
In their rural Lincolnton, North Carolina, community, Chapman\u2019s father was revered as a beacon of hope, renowned for his unwavering support and countless friendships.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
His father enjoyed visiting cousins on Sunday afternoons, working with his hands in his concrete business and helping friends. Despite having only a third-grade education, Chapman\u2019s father was a natural entrepreneur; he went on to found and own a successful concrete business in Lincolnton. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Two years before Chapman stepped foot onto NC State\u2019s campus, his father was diagnosed with multiple myeloma \u2014 a rare blood cancer that affects one\u2019s plasma cells. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cAs you can imagine, I was in shock. It felt like the world stopped moving for about five minutes,\u201d he explains. \u201cI thought my father was invincible. He owned a concrete business, was a proud veteran and was the strongest person I knew.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n
His world shattered when Chapman lost his father the summer following his first year of college. During that extremely difficult time, Chapman\u2019s mother was an unwavering pillar of strength and solace. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI attribute my determination to my mom, Lena, who still lives in the same house. She was instrumental in ensuring our family would fulfill our dreams,\u201d Chapman shares. \u201cMy mom, who didn\u2019t have a high school diploma, was set on her kids living out their educational opportunities.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Chapman\u2019s five sisters, friends, fellow students and faculty and staff from the Wilson College of Textiles also wrapped him in love during what he still considers one of the most challenging times of his life. Another support system vital to Chapman\u2019s healing was his fraternity, Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., which he joined in 1982.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Johnny Chapman ’85 (front row, second from right) and his Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity brothers built a strong bond on campus, which continues today.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n \u201cBeing in a fraternity was important because I had just lost my father, and I didn\u2019t have any brothers,\u201d he explains. \u201cMy fraternity brothers, who were seniors, took us under their wings, and we learned about giving back and caring for those who come behind you.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n
With the help of his family and personal network, Chapman learned the importance of leaving a legacy. From there, he was determined to make his father proud. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
In 1985, after completing four years of his textiles studies, an ecstatic Chapman crossed the commencement stage to earn his bachelor\u2019s degree in textile management \u2014 now known as fashion and textile management<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cAttending NC State and the Wilson College of Textiles is why I\u2019m sitting here today,\u201d Chapman emphasizes. \u201cOur college is all about supporting students.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
That infamous smile was on full display during Johnny Chapman’s graduation in 1985, when he earned his bachelor’s degree in textile management.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n Discovering the world of textiles, post-graduation<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
His first job opportunity came shortly after graduation, thanks to the encouragement of Lennie Barton, the college’s former director of recruitment, who recognized Chapman’s potential. He applied and was hired as a shift supervisor at Chicopee, a Johnson & Johnson Company. The nonwoven textiles manufacturing company, which specializes in high-quality products for the food service and healthcare industries, set the stage for his subsequent achievements.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI got the job offer the day after my birthday,\u201d Chapman shares. \u201cIt was the first time I had the opportunity to work for a Fortune 500 company.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Having spent over a decade exploring the intricacies of the textile industry within Chicopee, Chapman’s curiosity led him to embrace a new field: information technology (IT).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI\u2019ve always had a gift for technology. While working in textiles at Johnson & Johnson, I was given the chance to work on a data collection projection using an advanced computer system when I transitioned to manage the shipping and receiving for the company,\u201d he says. \u201cIn 1995, my employer selected a new system to manage their inventory called Oracle. The company\u2019s free Oracle training for key employees was a pivotal moment for me.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n
During that time, Chapman\u2019s wife of more than 32 years, Tammy Gilliam Chapman, emphasized the importance of this training and foresaw how that may reward him in the future. It was then that Chapman realized its importance and quickly embraced it. Little did he know that this conversation would be a pivotal moment he still remembers vividly today. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cYour goals and plans can point one way, but there may come a time when God has a different plan for you,\u201d he explains. \u201cYou have to embrace it.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n
In 1995, Chapman himself was struck by illness. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Your goals and plans can point one way, but there may come a time when God has a different plan for you. You have to embrace it.
\u2014 Johnny Chapman ’85<\/p><\/div><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\nHe was diagnosed with thyroid cancer during the first year of his MBA program at Campbell University. Chapman continued attending classes while navigating the challenges of undergoing two surgeries. With a young child at the time, his wife was his strongest supporter, and she unwaveringly encouraged him not to give up on his dream.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Today, Chapman is cancer free. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
After earning his MBA, Chapman was hired as a consultant at Oracle, the world\u2019s largest database management company and third-largest software company. From there, his potential skyrocketed. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Today, he leads the Enterprise Applications Support group globally as the director of IT and business systems for Red Hat, a subsidiary of IBM that provides open-source software products to enterprises with offices across the globe. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWorking for Red Hat has allowed me to combine my passion for technology and my drive for global impact,\u201d Chapman says. \u201cWhat I truly love about my position is the opportunity to harness the power of cutting-edge technology while building a bridge between innovation and success.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Johnny Chapman ’85 (right) is pictured with his wife Tammy and their two children, Johnny \u201cLee\u201d Chapman III and Sydney Chapman.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n Paving the way to create places of belonging<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Born and raised in the rural South in the 1960s, Chapman\u2019s childhood was shaped by the harsh realities of the time. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI\u2019ve seen it all. I watched my father, a grown man, being called \u2018boy,\u2019\u201d he muses. \u201cFor many of my teachers, my class was their first group of desegregated students. My passion for diversity, equity and inclusion truly started during my childhood. I was raised during the Civil Rights Movement, and making a difference has always felt important.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n
That determination has inspired Chapman to give his time, talent and treasure to creating spaces for others, specifically individuals from marginalized backgrounds, to feel like they belong. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
My passion for diversity, equity and inclusion truly started during my childhood. I was raised during the Civil Rights Movement, and making a difference has always felt important.
\u2014 Johnny Chapman \u201985<\/p><\/div><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n\u201cIt all started when I was able to attend my first diversity training in the late \u201980s,\u201d he remarks. \u201cBecause I\u2019m a talker, I interacted with people from all walks of life during that one-week training. It opened my eyes to diversity and inclusion, and I\u2019ve always been committed to supporting that.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n
At Red Hat, Chapman has done that by establishing Blacks United in Leadership and Diversity <\/a>(B.U.I.L.D.) in 2017. This diversity and inclusion community, one of nine employee resource groups at Red Hat, has grown from only 12 members during its inception to over 800. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
As the founder of Red Hat’s Blacks United in Leadership and Diversity (B.U.I.L.D.) organization, Johnny Chapman has worked to recruit, develop, engage and retain Black talent within the organization.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n As the founder and chairperson and now the Executive Sponsor of B.U.I.L.D. Chapman profoundly understands the importance of recruiting, developing, engaging and retaining Black talent. He was honored in 2015 with Red Hat\u2019s General H. Hugh Shelton Chairman\u2019s Award for his exceptional leadership and commitment to Red Hat goals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cIt started small for two years in IT, where a small group of black IT professionals met unofficially. From there, we\u2019ve grown to include hundreds of Red Hat employees and have created a powerful sense of belonging within our organization.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
At NC State, Chapman has served on the Chancellor\u2019s African American Advisory Council<\/a> for 12 years. In this capacity, he provides valuable input to the Chancellor and doesn\u2019t hesitate to ask tough questions, including ones about the enrollment numbers among Black students.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Pictured here with Chancellor Randy Woodson, Johnny Chapman ’85 is proud to have served on the Chancellor\u2019s African American Advisory Council for 12 years.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n \u201cI\u2019ve had the opportunity to speak with the university\u2019s Board of Trustees, talk with Black professors and hear from Black professionals and executives,\u201d he says. \u201cThis council is committed to thinking about what\u2019s in the best interest of Black students, faculty, staff and employees at NC State.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Chapman’s tireless efforts to create places of belonging have left an indelible impact, solidifying his enduring legacy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Honoring his parents by creating a Wolfpack legacy<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
It\u2019s often that Chapman finds himself thinking of his mother and family and the impact they both had on his life and the lives of others. His parents\u2019 generosity \u2014 of their time and treasure \u2014 is one of the standout characteristics that others often remark on.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cMy mother and father both had a limited education, but they were both pillars in our community,\u201d Chapman shares. \u201cI always wondered why they gave money to people who didn\u2019t give it back. It finally dawned on me that it was because they had it to give, and it was important to them to help others.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
That sentiment inspired Chapman to want to repay the overwhelming support he\u2019s received as a student from NC State and the Wilson College of Textiles. His first philanthropic investment came in the form of monthly $20 payments when he was in his 20s and 30s to the A.M. Witherspoon Graduate Scholarship Endowment, which was created by the Black Alumni Society<\/a> to honor Professor McIver Witherspoon.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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