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Kogod School of Business Appoints Robert Sweeney to Lead Business in the Capital Initiative

American University's Kogod School of Business announced today that Robert (Bob) Sweeney has been appointed as Special Assistant to the Dean to expand the school's global Business in the Capital initiative. Sweeney will serve as a champion of D.C. business and is responsible for positioning Kogod as a leading resource for research and expertise focused on the Greater Washington D.C. economy.   

Sweeney has 25 years of leadership experience in public and corporate leadership, with a particular focus on the economic development and marketing. He has extensive experience leading complex, collaborative projects and building new successful and sustainable programs in the Washington, D.C. area. 

"I am thrilled to be joining such a talented team and forward-looking Dean," said Bob Sweeney. "I look forward to building on Kogod's already stellar reputation as the go-to place to learn about business in the Capital."

Sweeney joins Kogod from Washington 2024, where he led the D.C. effort to bid for the Olympic Games in 2024. He was previously the first-ever President/CEO of the Greater Washington Sports Alliance. There he developed the Alliance mission, created the Sports Collaborative to nurture and grow fledgling youth investment organizations in the sports arena, and shaped the Sports Alliance to be a significant organization in Washington's business community. Under Sweeny's leadership, the Greater Washington Sports Alliance has become one of the preeminent Sports Commissions in the country. He led efforts to help bring professional franchises (MLB's Washington Nationals and MLL's Washington Bayhawks) to the District of Columbia as well as securing major events like the Rock n Roll Marathon, NCAA Frozen Four, the Army-Navy Game, and the 2015 World Police and Fire Games.

Before heading the Greater Washington Sports Alliance, Sweeney was the Vice President of DC Agenda, where he led the organization's community development activities. Sweeney created the nationally recognized equitable development initiative and guided "Collaboration DC", a project which assists government, business and neighborhood leaders in collaborative planning and decision-making, negotiation and mediation techniques. 

Prior to joining DC Agenda, Sweeney was with the Greater Washington Initiative, the economic development arm of the Greater Washington Board of Trade. He was the Vice President responsible for all efforts to attract businesses to the Washington D.C. market from around the globe.

The Kogod School of Business is committed to building a concentration of researchers and thought leaders around the top Washington D.C. industries and issues. "We're in one of the great business cities and I am delighted that Bob is joining us at a time when our business school has significant momentum and opportunities for growth," said Erran Carmel, Dean of American University's Kogod School of Business. "Bob's experience operating in leadership positions in Washington D.C. and his leadership of high profile events, such as the DC Olympic Bid, are a perfect fit for our school's evolving needs and our business strategy to differentiate the Kogod Business School experience."