GREEN BAY – The roof Bob Harlan helped build more than 20 years ago served as the perfect setting on Monday afternoon to celebrate the life of the former Packers president and CEO.
Laughter, a few joyful tears and plenty of heartwarming stories filled the Lambeau Field Atrium as Packers fans, employees, close friends and family gathered to honor Harlan, who passed away on Thursday, March 5, following a brief illness.
His fingerprints cover the iconic stadium, which was catapulted into the future thanks to Harlan’s vision and leadership during his 19 years as team president and CEO.
A devoted 37-year employee of the Packers, Harlan not only resurrected a beleaguered franchise with the hiring Pro Football Hall of Fame general manager Ron Wolf but also led the charge to renovate Lambeau Field with the 2000 referendum.
Harlan believed it was necessary for the Packers to create new revenue streams to allow the community owned franchise to keep pace with the rapidly growing National Football League.
The Lambeau Atrium was built in 2003, and the organization immediately underwent substantial growth, as its geographical footprint widened under Harlan’s successor, Mark Murphy.
The scale of those advancements isn’t lost on current Packers President and CEO Ed Policy, who expressed his gratitude to Harlan and his family during his opening remarks on Monday.
“I know we have a lot of Packers employees here, both past and present – on behalf of all of us, I just want to thank Bob for putting a roof over our head,” Policy said.
“This roof and the Atrium that’s below it would not exist without his vision and his tenacity. On the elevator ride coming down, we were just telling stories about how hard it was to accomplish this. Thank you from all of us to Bob for that.”
Serving as emcee for Monday’s celebration was Harlan’s son, Kevin, who flew to Green Bay immediately after calling an NCAA Division I men’s basketball tournament game between St. John’s and Kansas the night before in San Diego.
Harlan cheerfully reflected on his father’s life while trading stories with Policy, Murphy, Wolf and former head coach Mike McCarthy, who fought back tears as he fondly recalled his early interactions with Harlan.
McCarthy was introduced to Harlan during his time as an assistant coach on Ray Rhodes’ coaching staff in 1999. He returned seven years later to talk with then-general manager Ted Thompson about the team’s head-coaching vacancy.
After McCarthy was dropped off for his interview, Harlan was one of the first to greet the prospective head coach and told him, “Welcome home and good luck.”
Once McCarthy landed the job, Harlan would occasionally pop into his office with a trademark cup of coffee in hand. He’d ask about McCarthy’s wife, Jessica, and their children and finished every conversation by making sure the head coach had “everything you need.” McCarthy never forget that.
“He was real, one of a kind,” McCarthy said. “Bob’s leadership style was just so personable. He could always tell a great story, have a serious conversation and it always ended with a joke or some humor. What I really walked away from that as a young coach is he was himself.”
It wasn’t always endless sunshine in Green Bay, though. Harlan had to make some tough calls early in his tenure. In 1991, he fired Tom Braatz as vice president of football operations and installed Ron Wolf as the team’s general manager.
Wolf was given full autonomy over the personnel department, which he put to the test in sending a first-round pick to the Atlanta Falcons for Brett Favre after a lackluster rookie season.
Harlan defended the move to the executive committee and Favre soon blossomed into a three-time MVP quarterback who helped guide the Packers to their first Super Bowl in 29 years under head coach Mike Holmgren in January 1997.
“Green Bay was deader than a dead mule when I got here,” Wolf said. “Twenty three years of losing. They had two playoff teams, one of which was from the strike year. For Bob Harlan to take a chance on me and give me this opportunity, it’s a once-in-a-lifetime place and it was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.”
Harlan’s foresight set the franchise up for unprecedented success both on and off the field. In 2008, Harlan moved to emeritus status and passed the keys to the organization over to Murphy.
The Packers won their fourth Super Bowl two years later and advanced to the playoffs 13 times during Murphy’s tenure. The Packers also built Titletown, a mixed-use development located on 45 acres of land west of Lambeau Field.
Murphy credits those advancements to Harlan rallying Brown County residents to vote in favor of a sales tax increase in 2000 to help finance the 2003 renovation. The referendum passed with 53% approval and the future of the franchise was secured.
“It’s hard to imagine now but you think about how close the vote was on the referendum,” Murphy said. “He deserves all the credit because since then we haven’t needed to go back (to taxpayers). We’ve made additions, we’ve added the south end zone but that one thing Bob did with the major renovation of Lambeau really has made such a huge difference.”
When Murphy retired last year and Policy was elected his successor, the incoming Packers’ president and CEO called Harlan to request 30 minutes of his time at a location of his choice.
True to form, Harlan picked the Lambeau Field Atrium, and a 3½ hour conversation ensued. On Monday, Policy praised Harlan for setting the “gold standard” for what it means to be the president and CEO of the NFL’s only community-owned team.
Kevin Harlan closed the ceremony with a few of his own remarks about his father and the trajectory of the Packers organization. He praised Policy for his leadership and forecasted continued growth while addressing the hundreds in attendance.
“Every organization wants to make this miniature, little city where people can go, fans can go and it can be a year-round destination,” said Kevin Harlan.
“That was part of the vision. I know my dad never in his wildest dreams it would lead to this, but since he retired in ’06, ’07, ’08, after his emeritus run had finished, I remember him talking specifically about the job Mark did to expand and be creative and think outside the box and make all the things we see over here in Titletown a reality.”
The Packers recently announced plans to honor Harlan this upcoming season. Once the regular-season schedule is set, Policy confirmed the organization and Harlan Family will find a date to add Bob Harlan’s name to the Lambeau Field façade during halftime of a Packers home game this season.
It’s a fitting tribute to the humble man who made sure the Packers and Lambeau Field were preserved for generations of fans to come.
“For us on a gameday or any day, to look up and see his name on a building he played such a critical role in developing, I think it’s inspirational,” said Policy after the ceremony. “We’re honoring him but we’re inspiring ourselves.”