Junior Achievement of San Diego County honors Rudolph A. Johnson III and Ben & Nikki Clay as 2026 Lifetime Laureates
Oct. 22, 2026 (San Diego, CA) — Junior Achievement of San Diego County (JA San Diego) inducted Rudolph A. Johnson III, president and CEO of Neighborhood House Association (NHA), and Ben and Nikki Clay, philanthropists and co-founders of Clay Company, into the San Diego Business Hall of Fame as its 2026 Lifetime Laureates. The annual event celebrates leaders whose contributions to business, public service, and philanthropy have helped shape the San Diego community.
For Johnson, the honor recognizes a journey that began as a young child enrolled in NHA’s Head Start program and led to his appointment as the organization’s president and CEO in 2006. For the Clays, it celebrates decades of civic leadership, business success, and philanthropic investment in the region.
“The impact of these incredible leaders extends beyond their professional accomplishments to the opportunities they have helped create for others. Their examples remind young people what is possible when leadership is paired with a commitment to making a difference,” said Sidd Vivek, president and CEO of JA San Diego.
The San Diego Business Hall of Fame additionally serves to support JA San Diego’s driving economic mobility outcomes for local youth through experiential learning and connection to social capital, connecting the achievements of today’s leaders with opportunities for the next generation.
2026 Class of Lifetime Laureates
Rudolph A. Johnson III, President & CEO of the Neighborhood House Association
As an accomplished senior executive, Johnson has a career record of providing business insight, transformational leadership, and strategic vision. For the past 20 years, Johnson has been President & CEO of the Neighborhood House Association (NHA). With over 800 employees and a budget exceeding $100 million, NHA is one of the largest social service organizations in the region. In fact, as a child, Johnson participated in NHA programs which is why he leads the organization with passion and a vision that has transformed it into one of the nation’s model human services agencies.
Ben & Nikki Clay, philanthropists and co-founders of Clay Company
Ben and Nikki have had distinguished careers in public service before entering the private sector. Ben worked at the City and County of San Diego before co-founding Carpi & Clay, now known as Clay Company, in 1986. Nikki started her career at the County of San Diego and went on to serve as a senior vice president for Stoorza, Ziegaus, & Metzger before joining Capri & Clay in 2000. Ben and Nikki have served on and chaired numerous community and civic organizations including San Diego Symphony, Downtown San Diego Partnership, San Diego Holiday Bowl, and together, remain huge supporters of their alma mater, San Diego State University.
Event Photo Gallery
Photos by Melissa Jacobs
Event Sponsors
About Junior Achievement of San Diego
Since 1950, Junior Achievement of San Diego County (JA San Diego) has been inspiring and equipping youth to achieve economic success by planning for their futures and making informed academic and career choices. Through experiential learning programs, such as the McGrath Family JA BizTown, Mission Fed JA Finance Park, and JA Fellows, students build the financial literacy, work readiness, and entrepreneurship skills needed to thrive in a global economy. Annually, JA San Diego serves 30,000 students with the support of over 4,000 community volunteers.