Dominique Dawes: From Olympic gold to NFL Atlanta Falcons ownership

Olympic gold medalist and Silver Spring native Dominique Dawes has become one of four new additions to the Atlanta Falcons ownership group, team owner and president Arthur Blank announced this week.

Dawes joins former Walgreens CEO Rosalind Brewer, film and television producer Will Packer and venture capitalist Rashaun Williams as limited partners pending finalization of deals. They will join the group of sponsors, including Brian Barker, Ron Canakaris, Warrick Dunn, Doug Hertz, Alan Kestenbaum, Edward Mendel and Derek Smith.

“Throughout my life, making an impact on others has always been my driving force,” Dawes said in a statement posted on the Falcons website. “What I accomplished in 1996, winning the first American team gold medal in gymnastics and being the first African American to win gold, in the city of Atlanta, gave me, to Today, the biggest platform to continually inspire others. The unique opportunity Mr. Blank has given me allows me to increase my positive impact on members of the Atlanta community, a place close to my heart. Having served as a global ambassador for the United States, I hope that my platform and influence as one of the few African-American women sponsors of the National Football League will have a broad impact in the NFL community and beyond.

“Awesome Dawesome” reached a historic milestone as the first African-American gymnast to qualify and compete in the Olympics. She won 15 U.S. championships from 1991 to 1996 and further cemented her legacy in 1996 by becoming the first African American to win an individual medal in Olympic gymnastics, earning a bronze in the floor exercise.

Dawes, a three-time Olympian, was a member of the “Magnificent Seven,” the pioneering U.S. team that won gold in women’s gymnastics at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta.

Her other efforts include a Broadway appearance in a revival of “Grease” and “Betcha by Golly Wow!” » by Prince! Musical clip. She also advocates for young women in sport, serving as president of the Women’s Sports Federation from 2004 to 2006.

In 2010, President Obama appointed Dawes to co-chair the President’s Council on Fitness, Sports and Nutrition alongside NFL quarterback Drew Brees, and in 2020, she opened Dominica Dawes Gymnastics & Ninja Academy, with locations in Clarksburg and Rockville, with a third expected to open later this year, according to MoCo360.

Additionally, Dawes has been a member of the International Gymnastics Hall of Fame since 2009 and was inducted into the United States Olympic Hall of Fame with the “Magnificent Seven” in 2008.

“Roz, Dominique, Will and Rashaun are impressive leaders who have made an impact in various businesses, while building success stories, making a difference in the world around them and positively impacting people in a positive way. which aligns very well with our core values. “, said Falcons owner Arthur Blank. “Each brings unique talent, experience and perspective to our ownership group. So I’m excited to have them on board as a sponsor and to leverage their extensive expertise to find ways to continue building the Atlanta Falcons and make an even bigger difference in our community. .”

Dawes attended Montgomery Blair High School, then transferred and graduated from Gaithersburg High School. She graduated from the University of Maryland and was inducted into the university’s Hall of Fame in 2022; last fall, she was elected to the Maryland State Athletic Hall of Fame.

Graphic courtesy of the Atlanta Falcons