Former Green Bay Packers President and CEO Bob Harlan has passed away at the age of 89, according to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero. Harlan, a transformational figure who spent 37 years with the organization, died Thursday in Green Bay following a recent hospitalization.
Harlan served as the ninth president of the Packers from 1989 to 2008, a tenure widely regarded as the catalyst for the franchise's modern-era resurgence. He is famously credited with the hiring of General Manager Ron Wolf, a move that led to the trade for Brett Favre and the team's victory in Super Bowl XXXI. Under his leadership, the Packers moved from decades of struggle to becoming a perennial NFL powerhouse.
Beyond on-field success, Harlan spearheaded the massive $295 million redevelopment of Lambeau Field in the early 2000s. This project, funded in part by a historic stock sale and a local sales tax, modernized the stadium while preserving its iconic status, effectively securing the small-market team's financial future in Green Bay for generations.
Hired by the team in 1971 as an assistant general manager, Harlan rose through the front office ranks before being elected CEO. He had served as the team's chairman emeritus since his retirement in 2008. He was inducted into the Green Bay Packers Hall of Fame in 2004 and the Wisconsin Athletic Hall of Fame in 2005.
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