Donald P. Cogsville, a Harlem resident, was one of the first African-Americans to join the United States National Soccer Team in 1988. “It is an honor to play soccer at the highest level for your nation,” says Don, “it was a privilege to experience other cultures and countries while traveling the globe with the US team.”
Among many awards and honors, as captain of the Men’s Soccer Team at the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill, Don was the first Tar Heel to play on the U.S. National soccer team. After graduation, Don began a professional soccer career as a first-round draft pick for the San Diego Sockers, a Major Indoor Soccer League team. “I am excited that soccer is now starting to gain popularity all over the US and particularly in urban communities, like where I grew up,” explains Don, who also serves on the board FC Harlem, a youth soccer program.
After his athletic career, Don transitioned from an elite soccer player to a Wall Street executive and eventually the CEO of a successful private equity investment firm, The Cogsville Group. Don explains that “the lessons learned from soccer were helpful in transitioning to a successful corporate role in finance.”
Through The Cogsville Group, Don has focused his investment activity on numerous initiatives to revive communities through investment in commercial and residential real estate, working alongside the federal government as well as some of the world’s best investors. The Cogsville Group’s investments span 49 states, with concentrations in urban communities like Chicago and Detroit.
While the country clinches its teeth watching today’s game against Belgium, Don believes that “even if the US doesn’t win, it is clear that there is a bright future for soccer in this country and I am most excited about how it will flourish in urban communities.”