"By combining Georgetown’s academic excellence with NRF’s industry expertise, this partnership will produce long-lasting research and results, elevate the significance of retail studies and help shape the future of retail."
WASHINGTON – NRF and Georgetown University’s McDonough School of Business have officially launched the NRF Business of Retail Initiative. A $6 million gift from NRF will endow a first-of-its-kind National Retail Federation Chair in Retail Studies, the National Retail Federation Summit, two National Retail Federation MBA Fellows and research grants.
“We were inspired to partner with Georgetown University’s McDonough School of Business due to its esteemed reputation among academics, researchers, elected leaders, policymakers and influential figures in Washington, D.C., and globally,” NRF President and CEO Matthew Shay said. “By combining Georgetown’s academic excellence with NRF’s industry expertise, this partnership will produce long-lasting research and results, elevate the significance of retail studies and help shape the future of retail.”
The activities and programming conducted through the initiative will focus on developing forward-thinking solutions to contemporary challenges, including personalization, customization, logistics, frictionless commerce, artificial intelligence applications and “agentic” shopping.
The initiative will be led by Program Director Kelly Lee, assistant teaching professor of marketing at McDonough, and Research Director Luc Wathieu, professor of marketing.
“We are pleased that the National Retail Federation has found a home in the McDonough School of Business, providing a generous gift to create the NRF Business of Retail Initiative,” said Paul Almeida, dean and the William R. Berkley chairman of the McDonough School of Business. “This new initiative will work alongside our existing centers and initiatives to expose our students to new retail concepts in a key sector of the global economy, open doors to new career opportunities, and empower our community through impactful programming to do well and do good — here at Georgetown and beyond.”
In addition to synergies across campus, the initiative will support McDonough’s existing academic areas and faculty-led centers and initiatives such as the Business of Sustainability Initiative and the AI, Analytics and the Future of Work Initiative, to collaborate on events, career development opportunities and networking.
To learn more about the initiative, visit businessofretail.georgetown.edu.
NRF is the leading authority and voice for the retail industry and believes the new initiative will provide a powerful platform to share the story of retail as an industry driven by innovation and opportunity.
About the NRF Business of Retail Initiative
The NRF Business of Retail Initiative at Georgetown University’s McDonough School of Business connects students, faculty, and industry leaders to explore emerging trends, drive cutting-edge research, and develop the next generation of retail changemakers. Rooted in Georgetown’s tradition of academic excellence and global perspective, the faculty-led NRF Business of Retail Initiative focuses on the intersection of business and retail to inspire innovation and collaboration in the industry. It also collaborates with the National Retail Federation to expand access to meaningful career pathways for students and alumni in retail and beyond.
About NRF
The National Retail Federation passionately advocates for the people, brands, policies and ideas that help retail succeed. From its headquarters in Washington, D.C., NRF empowers the industry that powers the economy. Retail is the nation’s largest private-sector employer, contributing $5.3 trillion to annual GDP and supporting more than one in four U.S. jobs — 55 million working Americans. For over a century, NRF has been a voice for every retailer and every retail job, educating, inspiring and communicating the powerful impact retail has on local communities and global economies. nrf.com
About Georgetown University’s McDonough School of Business
Located on Georgetown University’s historic campus, at the new Capitol Campus in the heart of Washington, D.C., and in Dubai, UAE, the McDonough School of Business offers unrivaled academic offerings, experiential learning opportunities, and impactful research at the intersection of business and global affairs. With a culture that embraces a values-based approach to business and a global mindset, our faculty, students, and alumni apply business principles to address the most pressing issues of today —and tomorrow — to serve the common good.
