Marc Johnson was appointed the 16th president of the University of Nevada, Reno in April 2012.

In April 2011, Johnson, executive vice president and provost of the University of Nevada, Reno since 2008, abruptly became interim president because of the sudden death of the current president.

Johnson effectively led the University through a final series of budget reductions, while helping the university continue to excel at record levels. Milestones during that year included: Record enrollment of 18,004 students in fall 2011; record number of National Merit Scholars on campus; record graduate rate, record faculty productivity levels, and being classified among the nation’s top 100 public universities as a “Tier I” institution by U.S. News & World Report.

At a time when the wheels could have easily come off the 138-year-old institution, Johnson provided continuity and stability.

Johnson grew up on a farm/orchard south of Wichita, Kansas, where he, along with his brother, Scott, were in charge of operations related to the family’s business. Operations included growing everything from wheat, sorghum and soybeans, to peaches, apples, pears, cherries, strawberries, sometimes sweet corn and tomatoes, as well as selling local produce from neighboring farms from the Johnson family country store.