NEW ROCHELLE, NY — oss Greenburg is joining Iona College this spring as its newest Executive-in-Residence. The long-time HBO Sports president and award-winning filmmaker will lecture, organize campus presentations, work with classes, and, starting this fall, teach a graduate and undergraduate course, The Business and Management of Content Creation.
“We’re proud to have an accomplished professional of Mr. Greenburg’s stature as part of the Iona academic program,” said Iona President Joseph E. Nyre, Ph.D. “His knowledge and insight will enhance the academic experience of our Iona students as they learn through the lens of this inspirational expert.”
Greenburg, president of HBO Sports from 2000-2011—and at HBO for 33 years in various roles — has won more than 100 major television sports awards including 53 Sports Emmy Awards, eight Peabody Awards, 21 Cable ACE awards, 12 Cine Golden Eagles Awards and five Monitor Awards from the Video Tape Production Association. In 2011, he created Ross Greenburg Productions, expanding his storytelling to a wider variety of programming opportunities.
“I have always wanted to teach after spending over 37 years in the television industry,” said Greenburg. “I think I can bring the graduate and undergraduate students at Iona a deeper understanding of the history of the television industry and guide them as to where programming and the distribution of creative content is headed in the future. It is very exciting to be a part of Iona’s initiative in building their sports, entertainment and media program. This is exactly what the industry needs.”
Since 2011, Ross Greenburg Productions has produced documentaries and reality series for Showtime, CBS, NBC, NBC Sports Network, Golf Channel, Epix and Fox. Among the many shows he has created are HBO’s “Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel,” “Hard Knocks” and “24/7.” In addition, he has produced films including “Miracle,” the story of the USA hockey team that upset the Soviets in the “miracle on ice” at the 1980 Winter Olympics, as well as the Billy Crystal-directed baseball movie “61*” about Roger Maris’ historic and controversial single season-home-run-record year.
This spring, Greenburg will visit the campus and serve as an Executive-for-a-Day, culminating with a campus-wide lecture/presentation on the current state of the media. Greenburg will join an expert faculty in the Center for Sports, Entertainment, and Media Business. Aside from teaching in the fall, he will continue guest lecturing and leading other campus events, including a special 15th anniversary presentation of “Nine Innings From Ground Zero,” which focused on the impact the New York Yankees had on helping the region recover from the 9/11 attacks.
Greenburg has a family connection to Iona College, as his late father, Robert, graduated with a BA in economics, finishing his senior year at Iona in 1977 after three years as an undergraduate at the University of Texas from 1937-1939. “My dad would be proud of this association with Iona,” Greenburg said.
“Ross Greenburg’s résumé of industry honors resonates throughout the broad spectrum of sports, entertainment, and media,” said Glenn Horine, director of Iona’s Center for Sports, Entertainment, and Media Business. “Our students will have front row seats to the business of content creation, packaging, and distribution in a media age that thirsts for sports and entertainment programming. Ross will be an integral part of our program experience.”
Charles Cante, Ph.D., interim dean of the School of Business, added: “Iona College is most fortunate to have a man of Ross Greenburg’s caliber to share his knowledge and career advice with our students, faculty and staff. He will be an integral part of the Sports, Entertainment and Media program.”
Founded in 1940, Iona College is a private coeducational institution 20 miles north of Midtown Manhattan with a total enrollment of more than 3,900 students and an alumni base of 40,000-plus across the world. The College is a diverse community of learners and scholars dedicated to academic excellence and the values of justice, peace and service. Iona’s School of Business is accredited by AACSB International – a highly acclaimed distinction awarded to just 5 percent of business schools worldwide.