DOB: Apprx. 1964
The son of noted AFL administrator and former Richmond player Alan Schwab began his career as a junior administrator with the Demons in 1982, aged 19. By 1983 he was assistant football manager, and promotions director in 1984.
After a stint as recruiting manager from 1986 to 1987, where the Demons made their first finals series since 1964 he became the youngest General Manager in league history in 1988 when he joined Richmond aged 24. Presiding over a difficult time at the Tigers he resigned for personal reasons along with several board members in April 1994 after an attack from Mal Brown. He then signed as a full-time consultant to the Fremantle bid to join the AFL in 1995.
Schwab returned to the Demons after the failed Hawthorn merger, replacing Richard Griffiths as Football Manager, and when Hassa Mann resigned as CEO in May 1997 Schwab was appointed to the role.
He turned back interest from Collingwood and Geelong to sign a three-year contract extension before the 1999 season, but an investigation in salary cap rorting which began before his return to the club soon began to cause friction. Despite being linked with the vacant CEO job at Collingwood disagreement with President Joseph Gutnick saw him leaving the club again in August that year. It was revealed that while he hadn't been involved in the cap scam, he had been aware of it without informing Gutnick. He was replaced in the top job by John Anderson.
He was appointed CEO of Fremantle in August 2001, and served there until resigning in 2008 to return to Melbourne for family reasons. Schwab was quoted as "saying his wife, Cecily, and daughter, Chrissy, had been major factors in making this decision". Despite initial denials from both parties, Schwab was announced as the new CEO of Melbourne on 26 August 2008.
In 2011 the Melbourne board decided not to renew Schwab's contract, but after the 186 point fiasco in Geelong and the dismissal of Dean Bailey he was retained for another year. In August 2012 it was announced that he had been offered a three year contract extension, but in April 2013, after Melbourne's disastrous start to the season, Schwab left the club by mutual agreement.
Lists
Administrators
Media
Canberra Times - 21/07/1984
Age - 12/08/1988, 12/03/1999, 09/07/1999, 11/07/1999
Age - 05/05/2012
melbournefc.com.au - 27/08/2012
melbournefc.com.au - 9/04/2013
melbournefc.com.au - 19/11/2013
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