Incoming CEO described as visionary leader and HR strategist

Johnny C. Taylor, Jr.—a longtime HR executive and current CEO of the Thurgood Marshall College Fund—will take on the top job at the Society for Human Resource Management.

Taylor will start his new job in November. He succeeds Hank Jackson, who had earlier announced plans to retire at the end of 2017.

"Johnny Taylor is a visionary leader and accomplished HR strategist who is committed to the continued advancement of the profession, and the board of directors looks forward to working with him," SHRM Chair Coretha Rushing said in the June 1 announcement. Taylor was chair of SHRM's board in 2005 and 2006. He holds one of the group's new credentials, the SHRM-SCP or Senior Certified Professional.

Taylor co-wrote a book, published in 2009, called "The Trouble with HR: An Insider's Guide to Finding and Keeping the Best People."

For the past seven years, Taylor has been president and CEO of the nation's largest organization exclusively representing historically black colleges and universities. In this role he has been outspoken about the need to engage with Donald Trump's administration and other Republican leaders, despite disagreements. Taylor is also on the board of public opinion research and consulting firm Gallup.

His career encompasses many years in HR and leadership roles in the private sector, including at media and internet company IAC, Paramount Parks & Entertainment and Blockbuster Entertainment. He was a labor and employment partner at the McGuire Woods law firm. He earned a law degree from Drake University Law School in Iowa, a master's degree in mass communication from Drake University and a bachelor's degree in communication from the University of Miami.

Retiring CEO Jackson joined SHRM in 2006 as chief global finance and business affairs officer. He was tapped as interim leader in 2010 and then named CEO a year later. During his tenure, the organization has grown to nearly 300,000 members and $121 million in revenue, but some moves have been controversial. In 2014, SHRM announced it would launch its own certifications for HR professionals, breaking with its longtime partner, the HR Certification Institute.

Executive recruiting firm Spencer Stuart assisted SHRM in the search.