Senior Vice President of NBA's referee operations resigns

NEW YORK -- The NBA today announced the resignation of its Senior Vice President, Referee Operations, Major General Ronald L. Johnson, effective at the end of July.

Following a distinguished 32-year career as an Army combat engineer, Johnson, a two-star General, joined the NBA in 2008 to lead the league's newly formed Referee Operations department.

"When I was hired, Commissioner Stern asked me to apply my military and engineering background to improve the management processes and methods of an already superior officiating program," General Johnson said. "I feel I have accomplished that mission and, with great pride in having led the best referees in the world, I am ready to move on to my next challenge."

"From day one, Ron has worked tirelessly to maximize the on-court performance of NBA referees, while fostering a culture of compliance and discipline that is at the core of any officiating program's success," said NBA Commissioner David Stern. "We deeply appreciate Ron's contributions during his tenure and wish him well in his future endeavors."

The NBA will begin the process of identifying a replacement for General Johnson.