We are now collecting nomination submissions for the 2025 Business and Entrepreneurship Hall of Fame awards. The submission window for the 2025 awards has been extended to January 6, 2025. Learn more about the nomination process here.

Honoring Business and Entrepreneurship Changemakers

Thanks to a generous gift from Gary Veloric (Kogod/BSBA ’82) and the Veloric Family, the Kogod School of Business is home to a Hall of Fame celebrating American University alumni who have made significant contributions to the worlds of business and entrepreneurship.  

From distinguished CEOs to non-profit directors, serial entrepreneurs to investors, American University has been the launching pad for some of the most successful, brilliant minds in business today. The Hall of Fame and its two dedications — one to business leaders, and one to entrepreneurs — serves to recognize these esteemed alumni for their outstanding achievements, innovative spirit, and lasting imprint on the global business landscape.  

Who We Honor

Each year, the Kogod School of Business recognizes true changemakers—an exclusive group of AU alumni who epitomize the entrepreneurial mindset and who have made significant contributions to the field of business. AU alumni from all schools are eligible. 

Upon the launch of the Hall of Fame in January 2024, the Kogod School of Business chose to honor its namesake, Robert P. Kogod, as its inaugural inductee. Bob Kogod is not only a successful entrepreneur and unmatched business leader; he is also—and always has been—a stalwart champion for good.  

Read more about why Bob Kogod was honored as the inaugural inductee to the Business and Entrepreneurship Hall of Fame.  

How Inductees are Selected

Nominees will be considered for distinction within each Hall of Fame either as a business inductee or as an entrepreneurship inductee. It is by design that our inaugural inductee, Robert Kogod, transcends both categorizations, as he represents the highest degree of achievement for both.   

Inductees into each Hall of Fame are selected by a committee consisting of AU/Kogod alumni, faculty, current students, and AU leadership. The committee will seek and consider inductees who have made deeply meaningful contributions to business and entrepreneurship as evidenced by their innovation, leadership, resilience, and impact. Nominations will come from the full AU community, with a committee preparing a shortlist and deciding upon final inductees each year.  The number of inductees for each Hall of Fame can vary by year. 

Eligibility Criteria for Nominations 

Inductees must: 

• Have earned a degree from American University.
• Demonstrate recognizable and sustainable leadership and business success, evidenced by revenue growth, profitability, and/or investment obtained. Business leaders out of all American University schools. 
• Demonstrate a positive impact on business and/or society. 
• Be a leader in good standing in their respective communities. 
  

Additional Eligibility Criteria for Entrepreneurship Hall of Fame 

Inductees must be a founder or co-founder of a for-profit company, and/or a founding member or sustained contributor to a non-profit organization. 

Individuals may self-nominate or be nominated by some else. 

Nomination Process & Form 

Thank you for your interest in submitting a nomination for either the Entrepreneurship Hall of Fame Award or the Business Hall of Fame Award. Self-nominations are allowed. All undergraduate and graduate alumni of American University are eligible for consideration.

Before completing the Nomination Form, please note that you will need to prepare a statement of up to three pages and include 1-2 letters of recommendation. These documents will be uploaded at the end of the form. The total length of all attachments should not exceed seven pages.  

• For more information about the Hall of Fame, visit our [Business and Entrepreneurship Hall of Fame web page]. Please attach a 1- to 3-page statement highlighting the nominee’s qualifications, along with up to 2 letters of recommendation. 
• Accepted file formats are Microsoft Word (.doc and .docx) and PDF.  
• The Selection Committee will base its decisions solely on the materials submitted. It will not conduct independent research on nominees.
• Only complete nominations will be considered. Please refrain from including sensitive information (e.g., date of birth, Social Security Number).

For any questions, please contact Zach Vlahos.