PWT36
Cheesehead
Posted May 30, 2007
Packers board faces leadership question
Harlan succession top order of business today
By Pete Dougherty
[email protected]
Today's quarterly meeting of the Green Bay Packers' board of directors was supposed to be John Jones' first day at the team's helm as president and chief executive officer.
Instead, after the stunning news over the weekend that Jones is out as replacement for Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Bob Harlan, the 11 a.m. meeting now will take up a topic critical to the franchise's future: How should the Packers search for a new successor to run one of the most historic and revered franchises in American sports?
The board first will have to pass a resolution to extend Harlan's stay as chairman and CEO beyond the retirement age of 70 as mandated in the team's bylaws. Harlan will stay in that position until his replacement is in place, which could take anywhere from a few months to as long as a year.
Jason Wied, the team's vice president of administration and corporate counsel, was drawing up a resolution on Tuesday to extend Harlan's tenure. Harlan said Tuesday the board won't raise the mandatory retirement age.
Jones officially is on administrative leave. Harlan cited only "management issues" as the reason behind Jones' departure, but it's become clear that Harlan and the team's ruling executive committee over the past several months developed misgivings about Jones because of glitches in the function of the administrative side of the organization, as well as complaints about Jones by subordinates.
Jones presumably is on leave until he and the Packers agree on a severance package.
The Packers' executive committee now has to decide how to choose Harlan's replacement. One possibility is following the procedure former team President Judge Robert Parins used to promote Harlan as his successor in 1989. For that hiring, Parins formed a search committee comprised of members from both the executive committee and the board as a whole. They vetted candidates for a short list of candidates to interview, after which Parins recommended Harlan to the executive committee.
Unlike in '89, it's now common for sports franchises to hire a national search firm to compile a short list of candidates. Harlan and the team's search committee then could interview those candidates and recommend one to the executive committee, which ultimately makes the hire.
It's almost a given the Packers will hire a high-ranking official with an NFL team who has experience in both administrative and league matters. There appear to be only two candidates who work for the Packers: Wied, who is 35, and Andrew Brandt, the team's vice president of player finance and general counsel, who is 46.
Packers board faces leadership question
Harlan succession top order of business today
By Pete Dougherty
[email protected]
Today's quarterly meeting of the Green Bay Packers' board of directors was supposed to be John Jones' first day at the team's helm as president and chief executive officer.
Instead, after the stunning news over the weekend that Jones is out as replacement for Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Bob Harlan, the 11 a.m. meeting now will take up a topic critical to the franchise's future: How should the Packers search for a new successor to run one of the most historic and revered franchises in American sports?
The board first will have to pass a resolution to extend Harlan's stay as chairman and CEO beyond the retirement age of 70 as mandated in the team's bylaws. Harlan will stay in that position until his replacement is in place, which could take anywhere from a few months to as long as a year.
Jason Wied, the team's vice president of administration and corporate counsel, was drawing up a resolution on Tuesday to extend Harlan's tenure. Harlan said Tuesday the board won't raise the mandatory retirement age.
Jones officially is on administrative leave. Harlan cited only "management issues" as the reason behind Jones' departure, but it's become clear that Harlan and the team's ruling executive committee over the past several months developed misgivings about Jones because of glitches in the function of the administrative side of the organization, as well as complaints about Jones by subordinates.
Jones presumably is on leave until he and the Packers agree on a severance package.
The Packers' executive committee now has to decide how to choose Harlan's replacement. One possibility is following the procedure former team President Judge Robert Parins used to promote Harlan as his successor in 1989. For that hiring, Parins formed a search committee comprised of members from both the executive committee and the board as a whole. They vetted candidates for a short list of candidates to interview, after which Parins recommended Harlan to the executive committee.
Unlike in '89, it's now common for sports franchises to hire a national search firm to compile a short list of candidates. Harlan and the team's search committee then could interview those candidates and recommend one to the executive committee, which ultimately makes the hire.
It's almost a given the Packers will hire a high-ranking official with an NFL team who has experience in both administrative and league matters. There appear to be only two candidates who work for the Packers: Wied, who is 35, and Andrew Brandt, the team's vice president of player finance and general counsel, who is 46.
