March 3, 2009 

MEDIA CONTACTS: Ellen Yui, Yui + Co.
(301) 270-8571; ellenyui@yuico.com
Michelle Sherrard, GW
(202) 994-1423; mcs1@gwu.edu

NBA COMMISSIONER DAVID STERN AND GW SCHOOL OF BUSINESS CELEBRATE D.C. SPORTS LEGEND AND WASHINGTON WIZARDS OWNER ABE POLLIN AND
45 YEARS OF BASKETBALL HISTORY
MARCH 9, 2009

GW Alumnus Pollin to be Inducted into GW School of Business Sports Executives Hall of Fame

EVENT: 

National Basketball Association Commissioner David Stern will deliver a tribute to Washington, D.C., sports, business, and philanthropic legend Abe Pollin, B.B.A. '45, preceding his induction into the GW School of Business Sports Executive Hall of Fame by GW President Steven Knapp and GW Board of Trustees Chairman W. Russell Ramsey, B.B.A. '81. 
 
WHEN:  

Monday, March 9, 2009; Noon - 2 p.m.
 
WHERE: 

The George Washington University
Charles E. Smith Center
600 22nd St., NW, Washington, D.C.
Foggy Bottom-GWU Metro (Orange and Blue lines)
 
RSVP:  

Members of the media should RSVP to Ellen Yui at (301) 270-8571 or ellenyui@yuico.com. This event is invitation-only.
 
BACKGROUND:  

Through his induction into the GW School of Business Sports Executive Hall of Fame, which was founded in 2007, Pollin will join an illustrious group of sports executives and GW alumni, including David Falk, J.D. '75, founder and CEO of Falk Associates Management Enterprises (F.A.M.E.); Jerry Reinsdorf, B.A. '57, chairman of the Chicago Bulls and Chicago White Sox; Ted Lerner, A.A. '48, L.L.B. '50, managing owner of the Washington Nationals; Randy Levine, B.A. '77, president of the New York Yankees; and Sam Perlozzo, B.S. '73, former manager of the Baltimore Orioles and current third base coach for the Seattle Mariners.

Abe Pollin, B.B.A. '45, along with his wife, Irene, are in their 45th season as owners of the Washington Wizards franchise. Together, they hold the distinction of being the longest-tenured owners in the NBA. Pollin also is chairman of the board, chief executive, and the majority shareholder of Washington Sports and Entertainment Limited Partnership, through which he oversees the operations of the Washington Wizards, Washington/Baltimore Ticketmaster, and in-house promoter Musicentre Productions, as well as the management of the Verizon Center and The George Mason University Patriot Center. 

A local business legend, Pollin changed the landscape of the Washington, D.C., region through his vision and investments in sports, entertainment, and real estate development. The Pollins have been at the center of some of the NBA's most historic events during their distinguished time at the helm of the Washington Bullets/Wizards. Thirty-five years ago, they opened the Capital Centre in Landover, Md. In 1997, they opened the Verizon Center, revitalizing the District's downtown Chinatown neighborhood. Their leadership in sports management also has included ownership of the Washington Capitals, a National Hockey League (NHL) franchise, and the launch of the Washington Mystics, a professional women's basketball (WNBA) franchise.

The Pollins' commitment to social responsibility is unparalleled. Pollin serves as chairman of the Advisory Council, is honorable chairman of the Salvation Army's Leadership Committee for Centers of Hope and co-chair of the Community Capital Campaign for N Street Village in the District.  Among his numerous additional philanthropic endeavors, he also is the co-sponsor of the "I Have A Dream" Foundation, and he personally guaranteed a college education for 55 students. The Pollins recently relaunched the Abe's Table program to feed the underserved in the D.C. community, sponsored Gilbert Arena's Gilbert Scores for Schools program, and last year donated $1 million to the Society for Progressive Supranuclear Palsy (CURESPSP). 

GW's School of Business prepares students for professional management careers. The depth and variety of its academic and professional programs, including five specialized master's programs, provide rich opportunities for students in the school's core Bachelor of Business Administration, Master of Business Administration, and doctoral programs.  GW's undergraduate- and graduate-level international business programs rank among the world's best. The school's sport management concentration, available in undergraduate and graduate degree programs, prepares students to market and manage sport events, organizations, media, products, and athletes, as well as sport tourism destinations and facilities. Students learn how to succeed in a competitive marketplace through practical assignments with leading professionals and organizations in the sport industry.

Learn more about this event on Facebook. Search "GWSB Sports Hall of Fame."
For more information about GW's School of Business, visit www.business.gwu.edu.
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