Bob Harlan is a former American football executive who served as the president and CEO of the Green Bay Packers from 1989 to 2007. He was born on October 9, 1936, in Des Moines, Iowa, and grew up in a family of football enthusiasts. Harlan played football in high school and college before starting his career in sports administration.
Harlan began his career in sports administration in 1965 as the assistant athletic director at Marquette University. He then moved to the University of Arizona, where he served as the athletic director from 1972 to 1978. In 1978, Harlan was hired by the NFL's St. Louis Cardinals as the executive vice president and general manager. He held this position until 1981, when he was named the president and CEO of the Kansas City Chiefs.
In 1989, Harlan was hired by the Green Bay Packers as the team's president and CEO. He took over a struggling franchise that had not won a championship in over 20 years. Harlan quickly set about turning the team around, hiring Ron Wolf as the general manager and Mike Holmgren as the head coach. Together, they built a team that would go on to win the Super Bowl in 1996 and 1997.
Under Harlan's leadership, the Packers became one of the most successful and profitable franchises in the NFL. He oversaw the renovation of Lambeau Field, the team's iconic stadium, and helped to establish the Packers as a community-owned team. Harlan was also instrumental in negotiating the league's first collective bargaining agreement with the players' union in 1993.
Harlan retired from his position as president and CEO of the Packers in 2007, but he remained involved with the team as a member of the board of directors. He was inducted into the Packers Hall of Fame in 2004 and the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2019.
Throughout his career, Harlan was known for his integrity, leadership, and commitment to the game of football. He was a respected figure in the NFL and a beloved member of the Green Bay community. Today, his legacy lives on in the success of the Packers and the many lives he touched during his long and distinguished career.
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