Ex-White House Aide Desirée Rogers Gate-Crashes Ebony/Jet

Former social secretary named CEO at Johnson Publishing

Desirée Rogers, who resigned from her post as White House social secretary in the wake of the infamous party-crashing incident last November, has been named chief executive officer at Ebony and Jet magazines owner Johnson Publishing.

Linda Johnson Rice, the current CEO and daughter of Johnson Publishing’s late founder John H. Johnson, will retain the title of chairman. Rice had been CEO since 2002.

Rogers will report to Rice, the company said on Tuesday.

Anne Sempowski Ward resigned as president and COO last month. At the time, Rogers was “being eyed as Ward’s replacement,” according to Folio.

Rogers, who joined Johnson as a consultant earlier this year, is taking the reins at a critical time for both magazines. Ad pages plummeted 26 percent at Ebony during the first half of the year, according to the Publishers Information Bureau.

Jet’s ad pages fared even worse, sliding more than 30 percent.

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