August 29, 2025 • 18 mins
In this episode of How 2 Sport, Jennifer Ark walks us through the various roles she’s had in the sports industry and how her diverse background has ultimately landed her as the Director of Stadium Services at the Green Bay Packers.
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Speaker 1 (00:05):
Hi, and welcome to How to Sport, the show that
highlights the unique experiences and journeys of professionals and sports biz.
I'm your host, Megan Roberson, and I have the privilege
to be here today with Green Bay Packers Director of
Stadium Services, Jennifer Arc.
Speaker 2 (00:18):
Welcome, Jennifer. Thank you, Meghan glad to be your first guest.
Speaker 3 (00:22):
We are so excited to have you.
Speaker 1 (00:24):
So you grew up in Madison, Wisconsin, about two and
a half hours from Green Bay. Can you give me
a little bit of background on your childhood, what it
was like growing up in Wisconsin.
Speaker 2 (00:34):
Madison's a great city to grow up in. My mom
and dad, two younger brothers.
Speaker 4 (00:41):
Sports was always a.
Speaker 2 (00:43):
Part of our upbringing, participating and attending games ourselves, big
fans of the sporting industry.
Speaker 3 (00:52):
Awesome.
Speaker 1 (00:53):
So you grew up in Madison and then you actually
went to UW Madison, so stayed close to home, got
your Bachelor of Arts and Communications. Can you explain a
little bit about what the culture and atmospheres like at
UW Madison for those that may not be familiar with it.
Speaker 2 (01:08):
Madison is very vibrant, very diverse, and that's what I
love about my hometown. College was very fun, met some
of my best friends there, and that's really where I
got my start. My true interest in sports is a career.
Speaker 3 (01:24):
That's awesome.
Speaker 1 (01:26):
So you talked a little bit about sports, but then
you went and got your Master of Arts in Education
with sports administration from Bowling Green. What sparked your interest
in education right?
Speaker 2 (01:38):
Well, it was where that sports administration program landed in
at that time at Bowling Green. So basically, when I
was at UW Madison, I had a gall across the
hall in the dorms say to me, hey, my sister
where she works at the athletic ticket office. They want
(01:59):
some students to answer phones. And so I was like,
my parents would probably appreciate me getting a job and
contributing to my.
Speaker 4 (02:06):
Entertainment, you know, expenses.
Speaker 2 (02:09):
And so I was there for four years.
Speaker 4 (02:13):
While I was going to school.
Speaker 2 (02:14):
I'm working, you know, working there, and I'm looking around.
I'm like, there's adults that are working here. This must
be like a real gig. So that's really where I
got my interest.
Speaker 1 (02:23):
That's so fascinating. Isn't it crazy how one person can
just have such an impact and really lead you to
a path that you really weren't necessarily expecting certainly. So
you're now in Green Bay, but prior to Green Bay,
you were in Cleveland, Portland, and Milwaukee. So can you
walk me through that progression and highlights along the way, because,
(02:45):
as you know this this podcast is really focused on
how you started to where you are now, So can
you walk us through that?
Speaker 4 (02:53):
Well.
Speaker 2 (02:54):
As I was getting my masters at ballind Green State University,
a prior student that was also worked with my advisor.
She reached out to the advisor and said, Hey, we
have this sales center for the Cleveland Cavaliers. We're moving
from Richfield to downtown Cleveland and we have we need
(03:18):
someone to answer the phones.
Speaker 4 (03:20):
And so my.
Speaker 2 (03:22):
Advisor said to you know me, hey, would this be
something you're interested? And I'm like, well, I don't know
if I want to, you know, answer phones. It was
six dollars an hour. Oh my gosh, imagine now, right,
So I was like, oh, you know so, But through
the interview process and trying to ask that tricky question
of what are the next steps if I would take
this job as a answering phones at a like, I
(03:47):
said it was a sales center to sell new suites
and premium seating, and I was like, all right, this
is going to be my my, my risk, my take,
you know, a little bit of a risk because it
was it was moving away from home and that hourly pay.
But I thought, you know what, I'm going to be
the best employee I can be and hopefully that will
(04:09):
turn into something else. And sure enough, six months later
I was working in the customer service department for our
season ticket holders. I was there for about moved into
premium seating, and was there for probably with the Cleveland
Cavaliers for about two and a half three years.
Speaker 1 (04:27):
Okay, yes, so before you move on to your next role,
I want to go back to you talking about taking
that risk and answering phones and what was it about
you that you felt I can do this? Why did
you accept that risk?
Speaker 4 (04:46):
I just thought it's a great question. I just thought that, Hey,
I have a lot.
Speaker 2 (04:52):
Of great skills that I feel and I'm very passionate
about serving others and helping others and being part of
a team that I thought I'm going to make make
a difference and that's really one of my kind of
core core pieces to myself is making a difference with
the people I come in contact with and not only
(05:12):
for the guests coming in, but also or the guest calling,
but also to my co workers in the organization.
Speaker 1 (05:19):
And I can honestly say I get to work with
you on almost a daily basis, and you absolutely do
portray that. So we are fortunate to have you.
Speaker 3 (05:28):
Okay.
Speaker 1 (05:28):
So we were in Cleveland, worked there, made a difference there.
Speaker 3 (05:32):
But then what's next.
Speaker 4 (05:35):
Right, What's next?
Speaker 2 (05:36):
So I met a significant other and had this kind
of itchin to move somewhere else and started sending resumes
around So oh yes, yes, absolutely, So the two of
us who became my husband also we sent out resumes
(05:57):
and I'm the one that got the job out and
poor lind Oregon for the Trailblazers, knowing that some of
the experience that my husband had also was in the
sporting background in operations and so forth.
Speaker 4 (06:11):
So found out that.
Speaker 2 (06:13):
Portland was building a new arena and at that time
was called the Rose Garden and moved out there. Lived
out there for about five years, and mostly my focus
was on premium seating and sweets and club.
Speaker 3 (06:26):
Seats awesome and Portland.
Speaker 1 (06:28):
My sister lives out there, so I frequent in Portland
and it is by far one of my favorite cities
in the US. Absolutely all right, So we hit Cleveland,
we've hit Portland.
Speaker 3 (06:38):
Where did you end up next?
Speaker 4 (06:40):
So we thought we were going to end up in Milwaukee.
Speaker 2 (06:43):
So at the time my husband had a few interviews there,
we thought we were moving there.
Speaker 4 (06:48):
I worked for a golf golf stop, but it is
no longer.
Speaker 2 (06:54):
It was the Greater Milwaukee Open and it turned into
the Bank One Classic and now it's kind of turned
in to maybe not anything right now. So I got it,
but made a stop there. But then the job for
my husband didn't didn't work out. There was a hiring freeze. Anyway,
changed kind of direction and we ended up in Green
Bay and he had an interview across the street for
(07:17):
the soon to be Rush Center and they were really
gracious enough to say, hey, you know, does your does
your wife work?
Speaker 4 (07:25):
Does she.
Speaker 2 (07:27):
You know what? How can we send her resume around?
So just a great community here in Green Bay. I'll
be looking out for others and anyway, in a nutshell,
they shared PMI is a company that does a lot
of uh great teamwork for game days and all of
the different things that we do here at lambeau Field.
And anyway, I had an interview with Bob Harlan and
(07:51):
my experience and the new renovation was going to be happening,
and new suites potentially was the was the was the
future goal and and I was really right place, right time,
but also the right experience. And I'm so thankful to
be here. And this will be my twenty fourth season.
Speaker 1 (08:10):
That is insane and it's very fitting that PMI was
so pivotal twenty four seasons ago, and now how closely
you get to work with them as Director of Stadium Services.
So obviously titles are different wherever you go. Can you
explain what director of Stadium Services entails for the packers?
Speaker 2 (08:28):
Yes, director of stadium Services, the focus is customer service,
guest experience and operations, got it. So it really is
game day, non game day. So under our belt, under
our department, we oversee the Hall of Fame and stadium tours,
all of our guest services which is switchboard, also our
(08:48):
desk in the atrium, and then our game day staff
and then also shareholder services.
Speaker 3 (08:53):
So great, great ending there.
Speaker 1 (08:56):
So the six ever stock sale concluded last year and
you raised over sixty three million dollars. What did that
mean for your day to day and what is a
stock sale entail?
Speaker 4 (09:08):
Right?
Speaker 2 (09:09):
The stock sale was something very new to me. When
we had had the previous the fifth stock sale, I
had a little bit of you know, a part in it,
but this was really my gig with the help of
many others. Legal is very much involved with with the
stock sale, and also we have a third party that
(09:33):
really helps us manage Issuer Solutions, that's the name of
the company. They're a great partner of ours to help
manage our five hundred and thirty nine thousand shareholders.
Speaker 4 (09:43):
That's crazy.
Speaker 2 (09:43):
So we always needed a little help, you know, there's
always a lot of teamwork, but just putting together the
legal lees and the information and what gets sent out
to people that are interested in buying the stock, and
it's you know, it's a very People always say like, well,
what does that do? While the stock you know, is
very much helps us. It's a sense of pride, it's
(10:06):
a sense of ownership, and it also helps us with
projects that are taking place nothing related to football, any
of those you know, things that hit projects that are
involved with football. Stock sales completely separate. It goes to
better the experience and for our guests as well as
our physical lambe Field, so our scoreboards, yeah, doubling the size,
(10:29):
doubling the size, and our concourse renovation that stock sales
helping us follow through on those fan amenities.
Speaker 1 (10:37):
You must be reading my mind because that's a great
segue into one of the committees that you sit on
at the Packers. So you are a pivotal part of
the concourse Renovation committee and the DEI committee. So I
want to start with the concourse renovation committee. Currently Lambeau
Field is undergoing pretty major project and future projects are planned.
What is going on right now at Lambeau to better
(10:58):
the environment for the fans.
Speaker 2 (11:00):
The concourse renovation has probably a dozen goals, and it
first started with the question how can we speed up
these lines at the concession stands or the restrooms? And
that's really where it started. And then we continue to
ask the questions, well, what else can we do to
improve that fan experience because it is so important to
(11:22):
game day and so between speeding the lines up the
entrance that egress all of the pieces that touch a
fan is really what we're trying to do in this concourse.
So we want to make everything faster, smoother, safer and
(11:42):
our staff being visible to help on game day when
there's questions or concerns. It's all for the fan and
we're just really excited to put these phases into place
over the next few years.
Speaker 3 (11:54):
That's awesome.
Speaker 1 (11:55):
I'm pumped to see it along with the scoreboards. I
think it's going to be just an amazing app hemosphere
for this coming season. So I also mentioned that you're
on the DEI Committee and this has become kind of
a hot topic throughout the NFL, but really in society
as a whole. As you've sat on this committee, what
is your most proud moment of what the Packers have
(12:16):
done in terms of DEI.
Speaker 4 (12:18):
Diversity and equity.
Speaker 2 (12:19):
Inclusion is so important, and you know, it's sometimes too
bad we have to be talking about it. It should
be something that we're just all naturally doing. But what
I think what I'm most proud about is being part
of a group that is not being transactional, but doing
it to be genuine and know that it is something
(12:41):
that's very important to give everyone a sense of belonging,
and we have a wonderful organization. That's what I'm most
proud about is the people I work with the people
I work for and making sure everyone that comes on
board that's been here two days versus one that's been
here twenty years. Is that everyone has a sense of
(13:04):
belonging and feels that they have a voice and feels
very connected to the organization.
Speaker 3 (13:09):
That's such a profound way to put it.
Speaker 1 (13:11):
And I completely agree with with everything you said. So
let's switch gears a little bit. So we've talked a
lot about your professional life. Let's talk a little bit
about your personal life. So you have two children, Will
and Elise, which I love the name Elise, like the
what name Will too? But my middle name is Elise,
so I can say that what was a collegiate football player?
But I really want to talk about Elise because there's
(13:33):
a picture of her from twenty eleven with former wide
receiver Bette Brett Swain at the annual Bike Tradition. What
does this mean to you and what an impact does
this have on a lease at the age of nine,
And if you want to give a little brief history
on what the bike tradition is, I'm sure our listeners
would love to hear that.
Speaker 2 (13:52):
Gosh, the bike tradition has gone back for so many
years and we're lucky enough to have our training facility
right across the street. And so the bike tradition began
when kids with bikes would say, Hey, do you want
to ride my bike across the street. And so there's
we have in our Hall of Fame. We have plenty
of pictures that share that historic, historic way of players
(14:17):
getting there and tired after practice and wanting to you know,
maybe not walk back, but ride the bike back.
Speaker 4 (14:22):
And and so.
Speaker 2 (14:25):
When my son will he I said to him one year, like,
you know you were I know I work here, and
you maybe not thinking that it's on your radar, but
you should really go try.
Speaker 4 (14:34):
To go do that someday, because when you.
Speaker 2 (14:37):
Look back and you're twenty thirty years old and be like,
why didn't you tell me to go do the bike?
Speaker 4 (14:41):
Ride the bike thing?
Speaker 2 (14:42):
And so brother did it, So sister wanted to do it,
of course, and so sister she was. They were they
were both out there, but she was out there. She
made her own name. She i've I think someone took
a picture of her raising her hand with her bike,
and Brett Swayin, uh, you know, selected her.
Speaker 4 (15:02):
And sometimes the kids have the.
Speaker 2 (15:03):
Same players every day and every week and sometimes into
the following years. And Uh, we were supposed to go
out of town that afternoon for my aunt and uncle's
wedding anniversary.
Speaker 4 (15:15):
And she goes, no, I can't stay.
Speaker 2 (15:17):
He said, he's gonna he's gonna look for me after
the after practice. So we stayed and and they've developed
a relationship and it still continues today that Uh, it's
just special and that she made her her own way
and sat out there and did her own thing, and
brother didn't help.
Speaker 4 (15:35):
And so it's it's a it's a.
Speaker 2 (15:37):
Fun memory and uh and a great tradition for all
of our fans.
Speaker 3 (15:42):
That's amazing.
Speaker 1 (15:43):
I have chills just thinking about it. I know if
I would have grown up here, I would have been
out there for sure. So outside of work, you obviously
went and watched your son will play football, But you
also love volunteering, working out. I've seen you on the
golf course a couple of times, anything else in the community.
You really enjoy doing that. If someone's visiting Green Bay,
you would say, hey, you should definitely check this out.
Speaker 2 (16:05):
Yes, I'd like to be involved and celebrate the things
that we have in our community.
Speaker 4 (16:09):
Uh, sometimes we take we kind of.
Speaker 2 (16:11):
Take the places to visit, for granted, because we're like, oh,
we'll go do that next time, or we'll go do
that the next time you're here, and then sometimes if
you move away, then.
Speaker 4 (16:21):
Those things aren't there anymore.
Speaker 2 (16:23):
But yeah, golfing is one of my favorite pastimes. And
now that my kids are in college and done with sports,
I hopefully can have more time to do that at
my leisure. But I think we have so many wonderful
things here in Green Bay. I mean Tidle Town right
across the street. I'm there a lot. There's a lot
(16:45):
of you know, the food, the beverage, the activity is
all the programming. It's such a wonderful place to go.
And you know, and there's so many activities that are
free for the community. And so whether they're you know,
people are passing through.
Speaker 4 (16:58):
Town or or you know, they're they're.
Speaker 2 (17:02):
Locals and they want to, you know, partake in the
weekly farmers' market that's tonight that I'll be going to.
But you know, we have a botanical gardens in the
in the Neville Public Museum. And then of course, you know,
I'd like to shout out to our Hall of Fame
and our pro shop and our restaurant here because we
have such great fan amenities for every day of the year.
Speaker 1 (17:22):
Completely agree. All right, So we're gonna wrap up here soon.
But I like to in my podcast with one final question,
So here you go. If you were to provide one
word that describes the culmination of your career up until now,
what would that word be.
Speaker 4 (17:38):
That's a great question. Passion.
Speaker 3 (17:42):
Oh, I like it.
Speaker 4 (17:43):
Passion.
Speaker 2 (17:44):
I think it's a lot of different things. Passion for
doing what you like to do in your job but
also in your personal life.
Speaker 4 (17:53):
And so yeah, that would be my word.
Speaker 3 (17:55):
I love it.
Speaker 1 (17:56):
Well, Jennifer, thank you so much for joining me today
on the How To Sport podcast. To connect with Jennifer,
you can find her on LinkedIn and we look forward
to having you join us next time.
Speaker 3 (18:07):
Thanks.
Hi, and welcome to How to Sport, the show that
highlights the unique experiences and journeys of professionals and sports biz.
I'm your host, Megan Roberson, and I have the privilege
to be here today with Green Bay Packers Director of
Stadium Services, Jennifer Arc.
Speaker 2 (00:18):
Welcome, Jennifer. Thank you, Meghan glad to be your first guest.
Speaker 3 (00:22):
We are so excited to have you.
Speaker 1 (00:24):
So you grew up in Madison, Wisconsin, about two and
a half hours from Green Bay. Can you give me
a little bit of background on your childhood, what it
was like growing up in Wisconsin.
Speaker 2 (00:34):
Madison's a great city to grow up in. My mom
and dad, two younger brothers.
Speaker 4 (00:41):
Sports was always a.
Speaker 2 (00:43):
Part of our upbringing, participating and attending games ourselves, big
fans of the sporting industry.
Speaker 3 (00:52):
Awesome.
Speaker 1 (00:53):
So you grew up in Madison and then you actually
went to UW Madison, so stayed close to home, got
your Bachelor of Arts and Communications. Can you explain a
little bit about what the culture and atmospheres like at
UW Madison for those that may not be familiar with it.
Speaker 2 (01:08):
Madison is very vibrant, very diverse, and that's what I
love about my hometown. College was very fun, met some
of my best friends there, and that's really where I
got my start. My true interest in sports is a career.
Speaker 3 (01:24):
That's awesome.
Speaker 1 (01:26):
So you talked a little bit about sports, but then
you went and got your Master of Arts in Education
with sports administration from Bowling Green. What sparked your interest
in education right?
Speaker 2 (01:38):
Well, it was where that sports administration program landed in
at that time at Bowling Green. So basically, when I
was at UW Madison, I had a gall across the
hall in the dorms say to me, hey, my sister
where she works at the athletic ticket office. They want
(01:59):
some students to answer phones. And so I was like,
my parents would probably appreciate me getting a job and
contributing to my.
Speaker 4 (02:06):
Entertainment, you know, expenses.
Speaker 2 (02:09):
And so I was there for four years.
Speaker 4 (02:13):
While I was going to school.
Speaker 2 (02:14):
I'm working, you know, working there, and I'm looking around.
I'm like, there's adults that are working here. This must
be like a real gig. So that's really where I
got my interest.
Speaker 1 (02:23):
That's so fascinating. Isn't it crazy how one person can
just have such an impact and really lead you to
a path that you really weren't necessarily expecting certainly. So
you're now in Green Bay, but prior to Green Bay,
you were in Cleveland, Portland, and Milwaukee. So can you
walk me through that progression and highlights along the way, because,
(02:45):
as you know this this podcast is really focused on
how you started to where you are now, So can
you walk us through that?
Speaker 4 (02:53):
Well.
Speaker 2 (02:54):
As I was getting my masters at ballind Green State University,
a prior student that was also worked with my advisor.
She reached out to the advisor and said, Hey, we
have this sales center for the Cleveland Cavaliers. We're moving
from Richfield to downtown Cleveland and we have we need
(03:18):
someone to answer the phones.
Speaker 4 (03:20):
And so my.
Speaker 2 (03:22):
Advisor said to you know me, hey, would this be
something you're interested? And I'm like, well, I don't know
if I want to, you know, answer phones. It was
six dollars an hour. Oh my gosh, imagine now, right,
So I was like, oh, you know so, But through
the interview process and trying to ask that tricky question
of what are the next steps if I would take
this job as a answering phones at a like, I
(03:47):
said it was a sales center to sell new suites
and premium seating, and I was like, all right, this
is going to be my my, my risk, my take,
you know, a little bit of a risk because it
was it was moving away from home and that hourly pay.
But I thought, you know what, I'm going to be
the best employee I can be and hopefully that will
(04:09):
turn into something else. And sure enough, six months later
I was working in the customer service department for our
season ticket holders. I was there for about moved into
premium seating, and was there for probably with the Cleveland
Cavaliers for about two and a half three years.
Speaker 1 (04:27):
Okay, yes, so before you move on to your next role,
I want to go back to you talking about taking
that risk and answering phones and what was it about
you that you felt I can do this? Why did
you accept that risk?
Speaker 4 (04:46):
I just thought it's a great question. I just thought that, Hey,
I have a lot.
Speaker 2 (04:52):
Of great skills that I feel and I'm very passionate
about serving others and helping others and being part of
a team that I thought I'm going to make make
a difference and that's really one of my kind of
core core pieces to myself is making a difference with
the people I come in contact with and not only
(05:12):
for the guests coming in, but also or the guest calling,
but also to my co workers in the organization.
Speaker 1 (05:19):
And I can honestly say I get to work with
you on almost a daily basis, and you absolutely do
portray that. So we are fortunate to have you.
Speaker 3 (05:28):
Okay.
Speaker 1 (05:28):
So we were in Cleveland, worked there, made a difference there.
Speaker 3 (05:32):
But then what's next.
Speaker 4 (05:35):
Right, What's next?
Speaker 2 (05:36):
So I met a significant other and had this kind
of itchin to move somewhere else and started sending resumes
around So oh yes, yes, absolutely, So the two of
us who became my husband also we sent out resumes
(05:57):
and I'm the one that got the job out and
poor lind Oregon for the Trailblazers, knowing that some of
the experience that my husband had also was in the
sporting background in operations and so forth.
Speaker 4 (06:11):
So found out that.
Speaker 2 (06:13):
Portland was building a new arena and at that time
was called the Rose Garden and moved out there. Lived
out there for about five years, and mostly my focus
was on premium seating and sweets and club.
Speaker 3 (06:26):
Seats awesome and Portland.
Speaker 1 (06:28):
My sister lives out there, so I frequent in Portland
and it is by far one of my favorite cities
in the US. Absolutely all right, So we hit Cleveland,
we've hit Portland.
Speaker 3 (06:38):
Where did you end up next?
Speaker 4 (06:40):
So we thought we were going to end up in Milwaukee.
Speaker 2 (06:43):
So at the time my husband had a few interviews there,
we thought we were moving there.
Speaker 4 (06:48):
I worked for a golf golf stop, but it is
no longer.
Speaker 2 (06:54):
It was the Greater Milwaukee Open and it turned into
the Bank One Classic and now it's kind of turned
in to maybe not anything right now. So I got it,
but made a stop there. But then the job for
my husband didn't didn't work out. There was a hiring freeze. Anyway,
changed kind of direction and we ended up in Green
Bay and he had an interview across the street for
(07:17):
the soon to be Rush Center and they were really
gracious enough to say, hey, you know, does your does
your wife work?
Speaker 4 (07:25):
Does she.
Speaker 2 (07:27):
You know what? How can we send her resume around?
So just a great community here in Green Bay. I'll
be looking out for others and anyway, in a nutshell,
they shared PMI is a company that does a lot
of uh great teamwork for game days and all of
the different things that we do here at lambeau Field.
And anyway, I had an interview with Bob Harlan and
(07:51):
my experience and the new renovation was going to be happening,
and new suites potentially was the was the was the
future goal and and I was really right place, right time,
but also the right experience. And I'm so thankful to
be here. And this will be my twenty fourth season.
Speaker 1 (08:10):
That is insane and it's very fitting that PMI was
so pivotal twenty four seasons ago, and now how closely
you get to work with them as Director of Stadium Services.
So obviously titles are different wherever you go. Can you
explain what director of Stadium Services entails for the packers?
Speaker 2 (08:28):
Yes, director of stadium Services, the focus is customer service,
guest experience and operations, got it. So it really is
game day, non game day. So under our belt, under
our department, we oversee the Hall of Fame and stadium tours,
all of our guest services which is switchboard, also our
(08:48):
desk in the atrium, and then our game day staff
and then also shareholder services.
Speaker 3 (08:53):
So great, great ending there.
Speaker 1 (08:56):
So the six ever stock sale concluded last year and
you raised over sixty three million dollars. What did that
mean for your day to day and what is a
stock sale entail?
Speaker 4 (09:08):
Right?
Speaker 2 (09:09):
The stock sale was something very new to me. When
we had had the previous the fifth stock sale, I
had a little bit of you know, a part in it,
but this was really my gig with the help of
many others. Legal is very much involved with with the
stock sale, and also we have a third party that
(09:33):
really helps us manage Issuer Solutions, that's the name of
the company. They're a great partner of ours to help
manage our five hundred and thirty nine thousand shareholders.
Speaker 4 (09:43):
That's crazy.
Speaker 2 (09:43):
So we always needed a little help, you know, there's
always a lot of teamwork, but just putting together the
legal lees and the information and what gets sent out
to people that are interested in buying the stock, and
it's you know, it's a very People always say like, well,
what does that do? While the stock you know, is
very much helps us. It's a sense of pride, it's
(10:06):
a sense of ownership, and it also helps us with
projects that are taking place nothing related to football, any
of those you know, things that hit projects that are
involved with football. Stock sales completely separate. It goes to
better the experience and for our guests as well as
our physical lambe Field, so our scoreboards, yeah, doubling the size,
(10:29):
doubling the size, and our concourse renovation that stock sales
helping us follow through on those fan amenities.
Speaker 1 (10:37):
You must be reading my mind because that's a great
segue into one of the committees that you sit on
at the Packers. So you are a pivotal part of
the concourse Renovation committee and the DEI committee. So I
want to start with the concourse renovation committee. Currently Lambeau
Field is undergoing pretty major project and future projects are planned.
What is going on right now at Lambeau to better
(10:58):
the environment for the fans.
Speaker 2 (11:00):
The concourse renovation has probably a dozen goals, and it
first started with the question how can we speed up
these lines at the concession stands or the restrooms? And
that's really where it started. And then we continue to
ask the questions, well, what else can we do to
improve that fan experience because it is so important to
(11:22):
game day and so between speeding the lines up the
entrance that egress all of the pieces that touch a
fan is really what we're trying to do in this concourse.
So we want to make everything faster, smoother, safer and
(11:42):
our staff being visible to help on game day when
there's questions or concerns. It's all for the fan and
we're just really excited to put these phases into place
over the next few years.
Speaker 3 (11:54):
That's awesome.
Speaker 1 (11:55):
I'm pumped to see it along with the scoreboards. I
think it's going to be just an amazing app hemosphere
for this coming season. So I also mentioned that you're
on the DEI Committee and this has become kind of
a hot topic throughout the NFL, but really in society
as a whole. As you've sat on this committee, what
is your most proud moment of what the Packers have
(12:16):
done in terms of DEI.
Speaker 4 (12:18):
Diversity and equity.
Speaker 2 (12:19):
Inclusion is so important, and you know, it's sometimes too
bad we have to be talking about it. It should
be something that we're just all naturally doing. But what
I think what I'm most proud about is being part
of a group that is not being transactional, but doing
it to be genuine and know that it is something
(12:41):
that's very important to give everyone a sense of belonging,
and we have a wonderful organization. That's what I'm most
proud about is the people I work with the people
I work for and making sure everyone that comes on
board that's been here two days versus one that's been
here twenty years. Is that everyone has a sense of
(13:04):
belonging and feels that they have a voice and feels
very connected to the organization.
Speaker 3 (13:09):
That's such a profound way to put it.
Speaker 1 (13:11):
And I completely agree with with everything you said. So
let's switch gears a little bit. So we've talked a
lot about your professional life. Let's talk a little bit
about your personal life. So you have two children, Will
and Elise, which I love the name Elise, like the
what name Will too? But my middle name is Elise,
so I can say that what was a collegiate football player?
But I really want to talk about Elise because there's
(13:33):
a picture of her from twenty eleven with former wide
receiver Bette Brett Swain at the annual Bike Tradition. What
does this mean to you and what an impact does
this have on a lease at the age of nine,
And if you want to give a little brief history
on what the bike tradition is, I'm sure our listeners
would love to hear that.
Speaker 2 (13:52):
Gosh, the bike tradition has gone back for so many
years and we're lucky enough to have our training facility
right across the street. And so the bike tradition began
when kids with bikes would say, Hey, do you want
to ride my bike across the street. And so there's
we have in our Hall of Fame. We have plenty
of pictures that share that historic, historic way of players
(14:17):
getting there and tired after practice and wanting to you know,
maybe not walk back, but ride the bike back.
Speaker 4 (14:22):
And and so.
Speaker 2 (14:25):
When my son will he I said to him one year, like,
you know you were I know I work here, and
you maybe not thinking that it's on your radar, but
you should really go try.
Speaker 4 (14:34):
To go do that someday, because when you.
Speaker 2 (14:37):
Look back and you're twenty thirty years old and be like,
why didn't you tell me to go do the bike?
Speaker 4 (14:41):
Ride the bike thing?
Speaker 2 (14:42):
And so brother did it, So sister wanted to do it,
of course, and so sister she was. They were they
were both out there, but she was out there. She
made her own name. She i've I think someone took
a picture of her raising her hand with her bike,
and Brett Swayin, uh, you know, selected her.
Speaker 4 (15:02):
And sometimes the kids have the.
Speaker 2 (15:03):
Same players every day and every week and sometimes into
the following years. And Uh, we were supposed to go
out of town that afternoon for my aunt and uncle's
wedding anniversary.
Speaker 4 (15:15):
And she goes, no, I can't stay.
Speaker 2 (15:17):
He said, he's gonna he's gonna look for me after
the after practice. So we stayed and and they've developed
a relationship and it still continues today that Uh, it's
just special and that she made her her own way
and sat out there and did her own thing, and
brother didn't help.
Speaker 4 (15:35):
And so it's it's a it's a.
Speaker 2 (15:37):
Fun memory and uh and a great tradition for all
of our fans.
Speaker 3 (15:42):
That's amazing.
Speaker 1 (15:43):
I have chills just thinking about it. I know if
I would have grown up here, I would have been
out there for sure. So outside of work, you obviously
went and watched your son will play football, But you
also love volunteering, working out. I've seen you on the
golf course a couple of times, anything else in the community.
You really enjoy doing that. If someone's visiting Green Bay,
you would say, hey, you should definitely check this out.
Speaker 2 (16:05):
Yes, I'd like to be involved and celebrate the things
that we have in our community.
Speaker 4 (16:09):
Uh, sometimes we take we kind of.
Speaker 2 (16:11):
Take the places to visit, for granted, because we're like, oh,
we'll go do that next time, or we'll go do
that the next time you're here, and then sometimes if
you move away, then.
Speaker 4 (16:21):
Those things aren't there anymore.
Speaker 2 (16:23):
But yeah, golfing is one of my favorite pastimes. And
now that my kids are in college and done with sports,
I hopefully can have more time to do that at
my leisure. But I think we have so many wonderful
things here in Green Bay. I mean Tidle Town right
across the street. I'm there a lot. There's a lot
(16:45):
of you know, the food, the beverage, the activity is
all the programming. It's such a wonderful place to go.
And you know, and there's so many activities that are
free for the community. And so whether they're you know,
people are passing through.
Speaker 4 (16:58):
Town or or you know, they're they're.
Speaker 2 (17:02):
Locals and they want to, you know, partake in the
weekly farmers' market that's tonight that I'll be going to.
But you know, we have a botanical gardens in the
in the Neville Public Museum. And then of course, you know,
I'd like to shout out to our Hall of Fame
and our pro shop and our restaurant here because we
have such great fan amenities for every day of the year.
Speaker 1 (17:22):
Completely agree. All right, So we're gonna wrap up here soon.
But I like to in my podcast with one final question,
So here you go. If you were to provide one
word that describes the culmination of your career up until now,
what would that word be.
Speaker 4 (17:38):
That's a great question. Passion.
Speaker 3 (17:42):
Oh, I like it.
Speaker 4 (17:43):
Passion.
Speaker 2 (17:44):
I think it's a lot of different things. Passion for
doing what you like to do in your job but
also in your personal life.
Speaker 4 (17:53):
And so yeah, that would be my word.
Speaker 3 (17:55):
I love it.
Speaker 1 (17:56):
Well, Jennifer, thank you so much for joining me today
on the How To Sport podcast. To connect with Jennifer,
you can find her on LinkedIn and we look forward
to having you join us next time.
Speaker 3 (18:07):
Thanks.
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