Packers open process to hire a new CEO

The Green Bay Packers will soon have a new leader. On Wednesday, the franchise announced that it has opened the process to select their next CEO. Mark Murphy, who has been the Packers president and CEO since 2007, will formally retire in July 2025, when he turns 70 — a mandatory retirement age for the position, as required by organizational by-laws.

Susan Finco, Packers executive committee vice president, will lead the search committee of the Packers Board of Directors.

"Mark's contributions to the organization have been tremendous," Finco said in a statement. "From updating the corporate leadership structure to growing and diversifying revenue to increasing the meaningful impact of the Packers in the community, Mark continues to position the Packers for success. We look forward to his insightful leadership in the next year and a half."

The search committee will also have Dan Ariens (vice chair), Mike Simmer (treasurer, executive committee), DJ Long (executive committee, personnel and compensation committee), Marcia Anderson (executive committee), Karl Schmidt (executive committee), Michael Barber (Packers Foundation chair), Jeff Joerres (investment committee chair), Eddie Garcia (former player, board member at-large), Robyn Davis (board member at-large) and Mike Daniels (board member at-large).

The group has hired Korn Ferry, a national search firm, to help in the process to find Murphy's successor.

The hiring process will take between six and nine months, in time for the next CEO to work alongside Mark Muphy during a transitional period.

Potential candidates

The favorite to win the job is 53-year old Ed Policy, the Packers' current chief operating officer and general counsel. However, the franchise will also explore outside alternatives.

Trajectory

Mark Murphy is a former NFL player, as he played for the Washington team from 1977 to 1984. He started his sports executive career in 1992, as Colgate's athletic director. He spent five years as Northwestern's athletic director, until being selected by the Packers in 2007 to replace Bob Harlan, who had been the team's president since 1989.

Under Murphy's administration, the Packers won Super Bowl XLV. The franchise also built the Titletown District and was awarded the opportunity to host the 2024 NFL Draft in Green Bay.

Structure

The Packers have a unique ownership structure that cannot be currently replicated in the NFL. It's controlled by the Green Bay Packers, Inc., a publicly held nonprofit corporation established in 1923. The Packers are currently owned by 537,460 stockholders.

The group is represented by a seven-member executive committee, elected by the board of directors. The chosen CEO and president represents the franchise at NFL owners meetings and other league functions — practically, he acts as an owner.