Robert P. Kogod is a business executive and philanthropist. Along with his brother-in-law, Robert H. Smith, Kogod led the Charles E. Smith Companies, the real estate company that developed much of the Crystal City neighborhood, just south of

Washington, D.C. Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly known as Washington or D.C., is the capital city and federal district of the United States. The city is on the Potomac River, across from Virginia, and shares land borders with ...

Career

In 1956, Kogod, who was already a real estate developer, married Arlene Smith, the daughter of real estate tycoon Charles E. Smith. In 1959, Kogod joined the Charles E. Smith Companies. Kogod and his brother-in-law, Robert H. Smith, took charge of the company in 1967. Robert Smith oversaw construction and development, and Kogod led leasing and management. In 1995,

Forbes ''Forbes'' () is an American business magazine founded by B. C. Forbes in 1917. It has been owned by the Hong Kong–based investment group Integrated Whale Media Investments since 2014. Its chairman and editor-in-chief is Steve Forbes. The co ...

estimated the Smith family fortune to be worth $560 million. In 2001, the residential division of the company was merged into

Archstone Archstone was a real estate investment trust that invested in apartments. In 2007, the company was acquired by Tishman Speyer and Lehman Brothers and, in 2013, the company's assets were acquired by Equity Residential and AvalonBay Communities. ...

, which was sold to

Equity Residential Equity Residential is a United States–based publicly traded real estate investment trust that invests in apartments. As of December 31, 2024, the company owned or had investments in 311 properties consisting of 84,249 apartment units in Southe ...

and

Avalon Bay Avalon is the only incorporated city on Santa Catalina Island, in the California Channel Islands, and the southernmost city in Los Angeles County. The city is a resort community with the waterfront dominated by tourism-oriented businesses. Th ...

in 2013. The commercial division of the company was merged into

Vornado Realty Trust Vornado Realty Trust is an American real estate investment trust formed in Maryland in 1982, with its primary office in New York City. The company invests in office buildings and street retail in Manhattan. History Two Guys The origins of the ...

, which merged the division into

JBG Smith JBG SMITH Properties is a publicly traded real estate investment trust based in Bethesda, Maryland. As of December 31, 2024, the company owned 38 operating properties including 16 apartment complexes with 6,781 units, 20 commercial properties com ...

in 2017.

Trustee positions

Kogod is a member of the Board of Regents of the

Smithsonian Institution The Smithsonian Institution ( ), or simply the Smithsonian, is a group of museums, Education center, education and Research institute, research centers, created by the Federal government of the United States, U.S. government "for the increase a ...

; and the Board of Directors of the District of Columbia College Access Program, the Jewish Federation of Greater Washington,

Hillel International Hillel: The Foundation for Jewish Campus Life, alternatively Hillel International or simply Hillel, is the largest Jewish student organization in the world. Hillel brands itself as a safe space for Jewish students and events aimed at facilitati ...

and the Island Foundation on

Mount Desert Island Mount Desert Island (MDI; ) in Hancock County, Maine, is the largest island off the coast of Maine. With an area of it is the List of islands of the United States by area, 52nd-largest island in the United States, the sixth-largest island in th ...

Maine Maine ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the New England region of the United States, and the northeasternmost state in the Contiguous United States. It borders New Hampshire to the west, the Gulf of Maine to the southeast, and the Provinces and ...

Philanthropy

Kogod has given to education, the arts, and Jewish causes. His philanthropic contributions have helped fund the following: * In 1979,

American University The American University (AU or American) is a Private university, private University charter#Federal, federally chartered research university in Washington, D.C., United States. Its main campus spans 90-acres (36 ha) on Ward Circle, in the Spri ...

renamed its business school as the Kogod School of Business after a significant donation by Kogod. * In 1980, Kogod was involved in the development of the

Embassy of Israel in Washington, D.C. The Embassy of Israel in Washington, D.C. is the diplomatic mission of the State of Israel to the United States. It is located at 3514 International Drive, Washington, D.C., in the North Cleveland Park neighborhood. History The Ambassador is ...

* In 2004, Kogod made a $25 million gift to the

to renovate the historic Patent Office Building. * In 2007, Kogod's gift to the Smithsonian Institution also funded a glass canopy, designed by Sir Norman Foster, over the 28,000 square foot Kogod Courtyard that joins the

Smithsonian American Art Museum The Smithsonian American Art Museum (SAAM; formerly the National Museum of American Art) is a museum in Washington, D.C., part of the Smithsonian Institution. Together with its branch museum, the Renwick Gallery, SAAM holds one of the world's lar ...

and the

National Portrait Gallery National Portrait Gallery may refer to: * National Portrait Gallery (Australia), in Canberra * National Portrait Gallery (Sweden), in Mariefred *National Portrait Gallery (United States), in Washington, D.C. *National Portrait Gallery, London ...

. * Kogod Cradle, a 200-seat flexible space for plays at Arena Stage. * Kogod Lobby and Kogod House at

Studio Theatre A black box theater is a performance space, typically a square or rectangular room, with black walls and a black, flat floor. The simplicity of the space allows it to be used to create a variety of configurations of stage and audience interact ...

, opened in 2004. * Arlene and Robert Kogod Center for the Arts, a classroom building with a 465-seat theater, opened in 1982, at

Sidwell Friends School Sidwell Friends School is a private, college preparatory, Quaker school located in Bethesda, Maryland, and Washington, D.C., offering pre-kindergarten through high school classes. Founded in 1883 by Thomas W. Sidwell, its motto is ' (), alludi ...

. * Robert & Arlene Kogod Theater, a 200-seat flexible space, opened in 2001 at the Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center at the

University of Maryland The University of Maryland, College Park (University of Maryland, UMD, or simply Maryland) is a public land-grant research university in College Park, Maryland, United States. Founded in 1856, UMD is the flagship institution of the Univ ...

. * The Arlene and Robert Kogod Lobby, an open space that can host up to 300 guests standing room, opened in 2005 at the

Atlas Performing Arts Center The Atlas Performing Arts Center is a multiple space performing arts facility located on H Street (Washington, D.C.), H Street in the Near Northeast, Washington, D.C., Near Northeast neighborhood of Washington, DC. Housed in a renovated Art Deco m ...

. * The ARK Theatre, a 110-seat flexible space, opened in 2006 at the Signature Theatre. * Arlene and Robert Kogod Lobby at the

Shakespeare Theatre Company The Shakespeare Theatre Company is a Regional theater in the United States, regional theatre company located in Washington, D.C. The theatre company focuses primarily on plays from the William Shakespeare, Shakespeare canon, but its seasons inc ...

* Kogod made a $2 million contribution to the

Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company is a non-profit theatre company located at 641 D Street NW in the Penn Quarter neighborhood of Washington, D.C. Founded in 1980, it produces new plays which it believes to be edgy, challenging, and thought-provok ...

. * Robert and Arlene Kogod Program on Aging at the

Mayo Clinic Mayo Clinic () is a Nonprofit organization, private American Academic health science centre, academic Medical centers in the United States, medical center focused on integrated health care, healthcare, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science ...

. * Kogod Research Center for Contemporary Jewish Thought at the

Shalom Hartman Institute Shalom Hartman Institute is a Jewish research and education institute based in Jerusalem, that offers pluralistic Jewish thought and education to scholars, rabbis, educators, and Jewish community leaders in Israel and North America. The institu ...

. * Robert and Arlene Kogod Library of Judaic Studies * Kogod Liquors, a fine establishment for whiskey, deli meats. "Since 1946, Kogod Liquors and Deli has provided great wine & spirits through the thick of it all."

Political involvement

Kogod has contributed to the campaigns of many politicians, almost all members of the Democratic Party, including

Chris Van Hollen Christopher Van Hollen Jr. ( ; born January 10, 1959) is an American attorney and politician serving as the senior United States senator from Maryland, a seat he has held since 2017. A member of the Democratic Party, he served as the U.S. re ...

and

Charles Schumer Charles Ellis Schumer ( ; born November 23, 1950) is an American politician serving as the senior United States senator from New York, a seat he has held since 1999. A member of the Democratic Party, he has led the Senate Democratic Caucus si ...

.Robert Kogod: Political Campaign Contributions
/ref>

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Kogod, Robert P. 1930s births 21st-century American businesspeople 21st-century American philanthropists 20th-century American businesspeople 20th-century American philanthropists American businesspeople in real estate American University alumni Living people Smith family (real estate) 21st-century American Jews Year of birth missing (living people)