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Kogod School of Business
The Kogod School of Business at American University announced today the launch of its new Hall of Fame, which highlights influential business and entrepreneurship leaders with strong ties to American University. The Hall of Fame was established by Kogod alumnus Gary Veloric and his family, whose recent gift renamed the Veloric Center for Entrepreneurship, an on-campus center fostering innovation and entrepreneurship at AU. The Hall of Fame honors the entrepreneurial spirit and strategic innovation that the school has fostered for decades. Many of AU’s most successful graduates are business leaders and entrepreneurs.
The Hall of Fame’s first inductee is Robert P. Kogod. Mr. Kogod graduated in 1962 from what was then known as American University’s School of Business Administration, which became the Robert P. and Arlene R. Kogod College of Business Administration in 1979. In 1999, the school was renamed the Kogod School of Business.
Mr. Kogod’s work in real estate development and management with the Charles E. Smith Companies began in 1959, growing it to a company of several thousand employees that provided housing for more than 35,000 families, and office and retail space for more than 100,000 workers in the DC metro region and the Midwest. His work has left an indelible imprint on the DC landscape and community, notably the development of Crystal City in Arlington, VA.
Beyond business success, Mr. Kogod and his wife, Arlene, are notable philanthropists—helping thousands of young people access education and supporting museums, fine and performing arts, healthcare, and numerous other causes. The Kogods established a research center on aging at the Mayo Clinic; the Smithsonian’s Kogod Courtyard; various theater spaces; and they continue to play an active role in the Jewish community—supporting institutions like the Shalom Hartman Institute in Israel, the Jewish Federation, Sixth & I Historic Synagogue and the US Holocaust Memorial Museum.
“With his partner Bob Smith, Bob Kogod built one of the largest and most important businesses ever to be created in Washington, DC. He is an inspiration,” said Kogod School of Business Dean David Marchick.
I wake up every morning dedicated to ensuring the business school lives up to the Kogods’ good name.”
David Marchick
Dean, Kogod School of Business
“At American University, Bob and Arlene Kogod’s impact is unparalleled, from our business school that bears their name and their focus on changemaking, to the faculty chairs they’ve established, to Bob’s 15 years of service on our board, and so much more,” said AU President Sylvia Burwell. “Following a successful business career, Bob Kogod has spent his life working to create opportunities for others, and strengthen communities on a local, regional, and global scale. As the inaugural inductee in the Kogod School of Business Hall of Fame, Bob embodies the spirit of service and commitment to excellence that defines the AU community.”
“It is truly an honor to be recognized by the school I love so dearly,” said Mr. Kogod. “AU helped shape me as a young, working, busy father of small children into the business leader I am today. This Hall of Fame and its inductees are a testament to the importance of business innovation that I am so very proud to see fostered at the school that bears my name.”
A ceremony officially inducting Mr. Kogod into the Hall of Fame took place on Saturday, January 20, at American University’s Cyrus and Myrtle Katzen Arts Center. For more information on Bob Kogod, please visit this page.
Future honorees will be selected by a committee consisting of AU alumni, faculty, and leadership. The committee will seek and consider honorees who have made deeply meaningful contributions to business and entrepreneurship as evidenced by their innovation, leadership, resilience, and impact.
ABOUT KOGOD SCHOOL OF BUSINESS:
American University's Kogod School of Business, established in Washington, DC, more than 60 years ago, aims to equip and empower its community to use business as a force for meaningful change. Kogod graduates are leaders on Wall Street and in the corporate world, but also work for non-profits, government agencies and social-service organizations. Washington, DC, serves as a laboratory for learning through work, internships, and other forms of experiential education. Kogod is the oldest accredited business school in Washington, DC The school is accredited by The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB International), which represents the highest standard of achievement for business schools worldwide.
ABOUT AMERICAN UNIVERSITY:
American University leverages the power and purpose of scholarship, learning, and community to impact our changing world. AU’s faculty, students, staff, and alumni are changemakers who shape the future from sustainability to social justice to the sciences. Building on our 129-year history of education and research in the public interest, we say ‘Challenge Accepted’ to addressing the world’s pressing issues. Our Change Can’t Wait comprehensive campaign creates transformative educational opportunities, advances research with impact, and builds stronger communities.