Fitz Johnson to be honored by Georgia chapter of National Wrestling Hall of Fame

It has been a long time coming, but Marietta resident Fitz Johnson will soon receive an award he richly deserves.

In January 2020, Johnson was named an Outstanding American by the Georgia Chapter of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame. It is an award given to someone who has “used the disciplines of wrestling to launch notable careers in other walks of life, such as science and technology, business and industry, government and the military, and the arts and humanities.”

Originally, Johnson was supposed to receive the award in May of last year, but those plans were put on hold due to the pandemic. On Oct. 17, he will finally get the opportunity to receive his recognition during a ceremony at the Sonesta Gwinnett Place Atlanta hotel in Duluth.

Other honorees set to be inducted for their lifetime service to wrestling include Bremen’s Tony Armas, Loganville’s Tom Beuglas Sr., Lawrenceville’s Tom Dursee, Rome’s Gavin Edwards, Kingsland’s Tim Gilbert and Lawrenceville’s Mike Lancaster.

Johnson won a Southern Conference championship in 1982 as a freshman wrestler at The Citadel in Charleston, South Carolina. A knee injury ended his career, but did not end his love for the sport.

Johnson went on to earn a bachelor’s degree in education from The Citadel in 1985, a masters in education leadership and administration from Troy University in 1991 and a law degree from the University of Kentucky College of Law in 1998.

After retiring as a major from the U.S. Army, Johnson spent much of the next two decades coaching young people.

For 15 years, he was an assistant wrestling coach at The Citadel, Churchill High School in Potomac, Maryland, and locally at Wheeler. He has also spent time as a volunteer assistant coach at Life University.

Following his military career, Johnson was owner/operator for two decades of Eagle Group International — a $175 million government contracting firm. He was also owner of the Atlanta Beat women’s soccer franchise.

Currently, Johnson is owner and CEO of ASID Group International, a prison healthcare company, and he was named to Georgia Public Service Commission by Gov. Brian Kemp in July.