Richard Sweeney is an American businessman. He is a vice president at the coffee brewing system company Keurig.

Early life

Sweeney grew up in Roselle Park, New Jersey[1] and graduated from Roselle Catholic High School in 1966.[2] Three months later he was drafted and served a 13-month tour of duty in Vietnam as a soldier of the United States Army.[3] While in Vietnam, Sweeney served as a medic, then as a team leader on the Long Range Reconnaissance Patrols.[3] Upon returning home to New Jersey, Sweeney received a Bachelor's degree from Newark College of Engineering (now known as the New Jersey Institute of Technology) in 1982, financed by the GI Bill.[3] After graduation, he enrolled in graduate school and received an MBA from Fairleigh Dickinson University in 1986.[4]

Career

After returning home from Vietnam, Sweeney worked at United Parcel Service as a driver. After that, he went on to a factory job where he became fascinated with the process, and decided to pursue higher education.[4] Sweeney completed his education with an MBA from Fairleigh Dickinson University in 1986 and continued to work in manufacturing. He joined Keurig full-time in 1996 as its Vice President of Engineering.[3]

Award recognitions

In 2006, the New Jersey Institute of Technology awarded Sweeney with their Entrepreneurial Leadership Award,[5] and in 2018 it presented him with an honorary degree.[3]

Personal life

Sweeney has been married to his wife Els since 1986 and they have one daughter. The Sweeneys currently reside in Winchester, Massachusetts.[4]

References

  1. ↑ Canal, Christopher. "Coffee Connoisseur Dick Sweeney", Bost Inno, October 28, 2014. Accessed July 18, 2018. "Life wasn't easy for the young Richard Sweeney who was raised by a widowed mother in Roselle Park, New Jersey."
  2. ↑ Staff. "Roselle Catholic H.S. is best for college prep", Suburban News, February 21, 2014. Accessed July 18, 2018. "RC feels a special connection to the Keurig coffee maker, as it was invented by Keurig's co-founder and Vice-President for Manufacturing, Richard Sweeney, RC Class of 1966, and a loyal RC alumnus."
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 https://www5.njit.edu/boards/sites/boards/files/Honorary-Degrees-Commencement-2018.pdf
  4. 1 2 3 "Dick Sweeney '66: Always Something Brewing". The Lion Winter (7 ed.). Roselle Catholic High School: 10 & 11. Winter 2012.
  5. ↑ "NJIT Alumnus Dick Sweeney, Co-Founder of Keurig, Receives NJIT's Entrepreneurial Award". New Jersey Institute of Technology. November 30, 2006. Archived from the original on 2011-09-10. Retrieved 2012-02-18.
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