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The Chicago Bears promoted Karen Murphy to a newly created position: vice president of stadium development and chief operating officer.
Murphy has been with the Bears since 1999, serving as senior vice president of business strategy and chief financial officer for the past eight years.
The Bears said in a statement that in his new role, Murphy will work with President and CEO Kevin Warren to “advance the Chicago Bears’ long-term vision and strategic goals to develop a new, world-class stadium for Chicagoland.”
bears Weighing options for a new stadium. They proposed a $5 billion project for a closed-roof stadium and entertainment and residential complexes on the site of the former Arlington International Racetrack. But in the middle property tax disputes At the 326-acre Arlington Heights property they closed last winter, the Bears explored other options, including a site adjacent to Soldier Field, where they currently play.
“Karen is an extraordinary and innovative leader and has been a positive force for both the Chicago Bears and the National Football League,” Warren said in a statement. “When I joined the Chicago Bears in April 2023, I focused primarily on strengthening our front office leadership team and developing a culture of exceptional talent, diversity, innovation and hard work. From the moment I met Karen, I knew she was focused on excelling every day and driven by a championship mindset.” “He was clearly an individual. Karen will do an outstanding job as we work collaboratively to build a stadium for the Chicago Bears.”
Murphy, who grew up in Wisconsin, played a major role in the Bears’ Soldier Field renovation in 2003 and Halas Hall’s renovation and expansion projects in 2013 and 2019. The Bears said Murphy’s “visionary leadership has led the club to leverage technology.” competitive advantage, integrate analytics into decision-making processes and prioritize the recruitment, development and retention of world-class and diverse talent. He founded the Bears’ business analytics department.
The Bears said he will continue to lead multiple departments including finance and accounting, stadium and event operations, building operations, information technology, purchasing and innovation.
“I am incredibly honored and excited to lead an operation that has the power to change the course of this storied franchise and how fans experience football in Chicago,” Murphy said in a statement. “I have always loved the game of football and the city of Chicago, and I bring that passion to my work every day. “I am privileged to continue my work with Kevin and the rest of the organization on a world-class team to create and bring to life a vision that will bring a state-of-the-art stadium and Super Bowls to Chicagoland.”
Under Bears owner Virginia McCaskey, Murphy is the highest-ranking woman in the Bears organization. Two years ago Murphy He spoke to the Tribune About his goal of becoming an NFL team president.
“I’m always researching, both from a leadership standpoint and from a more technical business standpoint, what are the best companies doing out there?” he said then. “And this doesn’t just apply in sports. How do the best companies lead people? What is important to inspire teams of people? And how can we best hold people accountable? So how do we infuse both art and science into our decision-making processes?”