

Recently, Johnson & Johnson had the privilege of hosting Harvard University Professor Henry Louis Gates, Jr. at our corporate headquarters in New Brunswick, New Jersey. Professor Gates is the host of the popular PBS series, “Finding Your Roots,” which traces guests’ ancestry using a combination of genealogy and DNA. J&J is a proud sponsor of the series. Professor Gates discussed how his life-long passion for genealogy became the “root” from which the “Finding Your Roots” series developed.
Professor Gates also sat down with me in our studio to discuss why the series resonates so well with viewers. For Johnson & Johnson, the series really connects to our purpose of family, community and legacy. Though we all hail from different backgrounds, we share a common bond to know where we came from. As Professor Gates said, family trees are a way of giving immortality to our ancestors. As he told me, we are all citizens of the world and that is both humbling and uniting. I invite you to watch my conversation with Professor Gates.
And, as we approach the end of 2014, the holiday season gives us the opportunity to reconnect with our families too. On behalf of all of us here at Johnson & Johnson, I wish you and your loved ones a peaceful, happy holiday season.