Johannessen served as vice-president of the Norwegian Ice Hockey Association (NIHA) from 1950 to 1952, and again from 1955 to 1956. He then served as the NIHA president from 1956 to 1964. As president, he also served as the general secretary of the 1958 Ice Hockey World Championships hosted in Norway. At the age of 34, he was the youngest person to become president of any Norwegian sports association at the time.