Gerard H. Sweeney, President, CEO and Trustee of Brandywine Realty Trust Named Honoree for Villanova’s Celebration of Excellence in Real Estate
VILLANOVA, Pa., February 13, 2020 — The Daniel M. DiLella Center for Real Estate at the Villanova School of Business is pleased to announce Gerard H. “Jerry” Sweeney, President, Chief Executive Officer and Trustee of Brandywine Realty Trust as this year’s honoree at the Villanova Celebration of Excellence in Real Estate. The 2020 celebration, to be held on June 4, 2020 at the Union League of Philadelphia, will recognize Sweeney for his significant contributions to real estate education at VSB and to the larger real estate industry.
“I am humbled to be recognized by the Villanova real estate community. Commercial Real Estate is about finding innovative ways to be additive to communities, so it’s been my pleasure to help prepare the next generation of industry leaders,” said Sweeney.
Sweeney has worked to advance Villanova’s mission of developing real estate leaders by connecting with students, sharing his experiences, and supporting special programs including the Mulroy Real Estate Challenge and the Villanova real estate summer program for minority teens.
Sweeney has served as CEO of Brandywine Realty Trust since its inception in 1994, and has overseen its growth from four properties and a total market capitalization of less than $5 million to over 28 million square feet and a total market capitalization of approximately $5 billion. Prior to Brandywine, Sweeney served as Vice President of real estate development firm, LCOR and was employed by the Linpro Company (a predecessor of LCOR) from 1983 to 1994, serving in several capacities, including Financial Vice President and General Partner.
Daniel DiLella, founder of the Daniel M. DiLella Center for Real Estate at the Villanova University School of Business remarked on long-time colleague, stating, “Villanova and the DiLella Center are thankful for Jerry’s consistent support and genuine passion for education.”
“The DiLella Center for Real Estate depends on industry experience to fulfill our mission and in Jerry, we have a tremendous partner,” said Shawn D. Howton, PhD, faculty director, Daniel M. DiLella Center for Real Estate. “Jerry lends his experience in countless ways to develop future real estate leaders who can apply theory to practice.”
Members and friends of the Villanova real estate community are invited to this annual celebration hosted by the DiLella Center for Real Estate’s Nova Next Council to recognize Mr. Sweeney for his dedication to advancing real estate education at VSB and for his countless accomplishments. The Celebration of Excellence will also include a thought leadership discussion on the use of artificial intelligence within real estate, and the opportunity to connect with close friends and associates.
The Villanova School of Business (VSB) undergraduate program is ranked #1 in the nation by Bloomberg Businessweek and its online graduate business programs are ranked #3, and its online MBA program is ranked #9 by U.S. News and World Report. VSB has been at the forefront of business education since it was founded in 1922. Serving over 2,700 undergraduate and graduate students, VSB is home to five Centers of Excellence – the Daniel M. DiLella Center for Real Estate, the Elenore and Robert F. Moran Sr. Center for Global Leadership, the Center for Business Analytics, the Center for Marketing & Consumer Insights and the Center for Church Management – with each designed to foster innovative, cross-disciplinary research and applied opportunities for students. VSB is known for academic rigor; creativity and innovation; hands-on and service learning opportunities; a firm grounding in ethics; and an applied education that prepares students to become outstanding leaders and global citizens within the ever-changing, complex, and fast-paced world of business. For more, visit business.villanova.edu.
About Brandywine Realty Trust
Brandywine Realty Trust (NYSE: BDN) is one of the largest, publicly traded, full-service, integrated real estate companies in the United States with a core focus in the Philadelphia, Austin and Washington, D.C. markets. Organized as a real estate investment trust (REIT), we own, develop, lease and manage an urban, town center and transit-oriented portfolio comprising 173 properties and 24.3 million square feet as of December 31, 2019, which excludes assets held for sale. Our purpose is to shape, connect and inspire the world around us through our expertise, the relationships we foster, the communities in which we live and work, and the history we build together. For more information, please visit www.brandywinerealty.com.