The past twelve months have been busy ones for Sheila Johnson. Her latest, and probably best-known business venture, at least locally, the Salamander Resort and Spa, has moved closer to completion; she became the first female, African-American to hold the position of owner/partner in three professional sports franchises; and on November 9th, she was named co-chair of Governor Elect Tim Kaine's inauguration committee.

On January 14, 2006, Timothy M. Kaine will be officially sworn in as the 70th Governor of the Commonwealth of Virginia. And for the first time in over two hundred years, that inauguration will take place not in Richmond, but in Williamsburg.

Kaine and Johnson have grown to know each other well over the last several years, he as the Lieutenant Governor, she as a prominent resident and businessowner in the increasingly important northern region of the nation's original Commonwealth. Throughout the recently-completed Governor's campaign, Johnson proved an invaluable ally to Kaine, contributing more money to his campaign than any other individual donor and using her connections and savvy to help further the Governor Elect's message and vision for Virginia.

"The most important things for me about Tim Kaine," said Johnson, "are his incredibly high standards. He's a true family man, and as a public servant he has shown remarkable vision, an ability to see the big picture, to set goals and use all the tools at his disposal to reach them. I see Tim Kaine as being not only an architect of change, but, at the same time, as a real steward of the Commonwealth, in the finest tradition of Virginia's leadership."

Why Williamsburg?

According to Johnson, two of the main reasons to hold next year's inauguration in Williamsburg are to recognize not only the Commonwealth's rich diversity and history, but also to bring the inauguration to as many residents as possible.

"We want this inauguration to be for everyone," stresses Johnson. "At the same time, Williamsburg allows us to showcase the rich historical traditions of Virginia. We're approaching the quadracentennial of Jamestown, the first permanent English settlement in not only Virginia, but America. The upcoming inauguration will be an important part of that celebration."

Johnson is quick to point out that, although Williamsburg will be the site of next year's inauguration, Richmond will by no means be left out.

"There will be Inaugural Balls in both Williamsburg and Richmond," Johnson says. "Tim will get to take a helicopter between the two cities. She laughs. "I don't think I'll be so lucky! I see a car ride in my future."

Johnson is expected to bring her entertainment background to bear, and she's already working hard to line up some top acts for the celebratory series of events. "It's trickier than people might think," she says. "Scheduling the kind of bands that people expect to see with only two months in between can prove challenging. Most of these groups schedule events six to twelve months in advance."

That being said, Johnson seems not only up to the task, but excited by the prospects. "We're talking to the Dave Matthews Band. They said the dates looked difficult, but they're like native sons! I'm going to stay on them."