October 24, 2025 • 20 mins
In this episode of How 2 Sport, Maureen Smith discusses her non-traditional path into professional sports and her experience in opening Allianz Field in Minnesota for MLS team, Minnesota United FC.
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Speaker 1 (00:06):
Hi, and welcome to How to Score, the show that
highlights the unique experiences and journeys of professionals and sports biz.
I'm your host, Megan Robertson, and I have the privilege
to be here today with Green Bay Packers Chief financial
Officer Maureen Smith.
Speaker 2 (00:20):
Welcome, Maureen.
Speaker 3 (00:21):
Hello.
Speaker 1 (00:22):
We are so happy to have you on the show today.
So we'll kind of start from the very beginning, but
we're actually going to fast forward and then work our
way back.
Speaker 2 (00:30):
How does that sound?
Speaker 3 (00:30):
That sounds great.
Speaker 1 (00:32):
You grew up in Davisburg, Michigan, received your bachelor's degree
from the University of Michigan in sociology, and now you're
the CFO of the Packers. Like, how did that happen?
What's your day to day? Like, what's the most exciting
thing about your job? Tell me everything?
Speaker 3 (00:47):
Well, how did that happen?
Speaker 4 (00:49):
I don't know that I even know how to answer
that question, but I think we'll go we'll talk a
little bit later about the journey that got me here.
And it's a bit unconventional as far as my day
to day. I mean, listen, I get up every morning
and I drive to lambeau Field.
Speaker 3 (01:04):
Like that pitched me it's a pretty incredible thing.
Speaker 4 (01:09):
I had a few people ask me, really, you go
to work there every day, so it's pretty awesome location
and I kind of place to come to work each day.
Speaker 1 (01:21):
Yeah, I know, like in lambeau Field, our marketing department
puts up new banners every year, and one of them
that always reminds me like, even on the toughest of days,
like this is someone's bucket list and it's so true
and for you, like getting to work for the packers
has to be kind of part of that journey, even
though you didn't necessarily know that was going to be
(01:42):
part of your bucket list.
Speaker 2 (01:43):
So like, how cool.
Speaker 3 (01:45):
It's very cool.
Speaker 4 (01:45):
A long way from sneaking to television into my room
to watch Monday night football when I was in middle school.
But if you go back to what's the most exciting
part of my day, I will say, after getting over
the fact that you're coming to Lambeufield to work every day,
I'm just incredibly honored to get to work with the
people that we work with here, such an incredible staff
that is so dedicated to what we're doing, and love
(02:09):
this team through and through, and at the end of
the day, I oversee a finance and an IT function,
but we get to do it in one of the
coolest industries and businesses in the world, And.
Speaker 1 (02:20):
You pointed to it, you have such an incredible team,
Like I get to work with some of them, and
really the uniqueness of their journeys again talking about that
journey and how they all come together to make sure
that we're functioning. And a lot of those people are
behind the scenes, so you don't really have a true
appreciation until you get to be in their.
Speaker 2 (02:42):
Day to day to really understand that.
Speaker 1 (02:44):
So this kind of goes into my next question, which
was when you took the role, like what did you
expect the biggest challenge to be working for this and
leading those two departments.
Speaker 4 (02:55):
So I'll say I've worked in sports for a little
bit before coming here, and so one of the things
you get kind of used to that you don't realize
before you work in the industry is in a lot
of ways, these are small businesses with big business visibility,
and so the assumption is behind all of the things
you see in the media, there's a very large, sophisticated operation,
(03:17):
and what I will say is underneath it, there's a
couple hundred people doing really big things to make it
all work. So I wasn't surprised by that because I
was used to that from the sports industry. But I
will say one of the things that I had a
friend asked me when I took the job, is aren't
you going to be bored? You're a builder, you like
(03:39):
to do new things and create, and this place has
been around for a really long time. There might not
be anything for you to build. And what I'll say
is unpleasantly surprised. And what is true is no matter
where you are in the life cycle of a business,
there is always work to be done, and there's always
things to work on and improve.
Speaker 3 (03:58):
And so I just here to say I am not born.
Speaker 2 (04:02):
Oh my gosh. Yeah, it's funny.
Speaker 1 (04:05):
The Packers are always looking to evolve and figure out
the next the next big thing. Whether we're not necessarily
like the front runners a lot of times for someone
that's going to take on these new projects.
Speaker 2 (04:15):
But I mean the Packers Athletic Club.
Speaker 1 (04:18):
Right like you had a big hand in making sure
all of that came together, specifically from a finance perspective.
So I think that's just one one way to demonstrate
that yeah, we're You're definitely not.
Speaker 3 (04:29):
There's always something new that's incredible.
Speaker 1 (04:32):
So growing up in Michigan, I have to ask, were
you a Packers fan or were you.
Speaker 2 (04:38):
I know, heaven forbid me say a Lions fan.
Speaker 4 (04:41):
I did not grow up Alliance Ovan. Actually I grew
up in the era of Boomer sisin and and the
Icky Shuffle, and I had a temporary stint following the Bengals.
But when you are a University of Michigan UH fan
and and and UH student, you don't really need another team.
(05:02):
So they've been my team in football for a lot
of years and.
Speaker 2 (05:05):
It was a very exciting season last year, for sure.
Speaker 1 (05:08):
So your youngest son, Wesley, we'll get to your family
in a little bit. One of five is a huge
Packers fan. Can you describe the moment you told him
that you got this job.
Speaker 4 (05:19):
So Wesley, born and raised in Minnesota, came home from
preschool with a green and gold painting and when I
asked him what it was, he told me it was
Greg Jennings. So this was a lot of years ago
and we have no idea where it came from, but
he was a huge Packer fan. We owned several cheeseheads.
Well before I even dreamed of working for the packers.
(05:43):
I'll have to say that might have been a talking
point with Mark Murphy during my interview that he appreciated.
And so when I told him that I was interviewing here,
he was obviously very excited. And when I got the
job offer, he said to me, Mom, you have to
take it, just don't make me leave high school. So
Wesley did stay behind this year and finished high school
(06:05):
in Minnesota while I commuted back and forth.
Speaker 3 (06:08):
And so he got his wish.
Speaker 4 (06:10):
His mom worked for the packers and he got to
finish his high school career with his friends in Minnesota.
Speaker 2 (06:15):
I have chills just thinking about it. What a dream
for both of you.
Speaker 1 (06:19):
All right, so packers, But then before that, you actually
were with you know, as a as a former soccer player,
working in the MLS would be incredible. So you worked
for Minnesota United. Let's start from you became the COO,
but you started as the controller.
Speaker 2 (06:37):
Is that correct?
Speaker 3 (06:38):
That's correct?
Speaker 2 (06:39):
So let's start there.
Speaker 4 (06:40):
So I received a really fortunate opportunity to be introduced
to doctor Bill McGuire, the owner, the primary owner of
Minnesota United.
Speaker 3 (06:51):
In twenty sixteen. I want to say.
Speaker 4 (06:54):
And I knew that they were a minor league team
at the time, and they were getting ready to bid
for MLS, and there was talk of a new stadium,
and I was really looking. I was spending I had
been at a United Health group and looking to do
something a little more entrepreneurial and step away from big
corporate for a little bit. And I got this introduction
(07:15):
and it was just a fantastic time to get in
at Minnesota United and be part of what a fantastic project.
So we got to build and open the most beautiful stadium,
in my opinion, in North America for soccer, which is
Alian's Field, launched a team and really did tremendous things
(07:37):
with a team of people that were very hard working
and dedicated.
Speaker 3 (07:41):
So it was a fantastic seven years, and.
Speaker 1 (07:44):
You grew the organization from fifty employees to more than
one hundred and fifty. What was the process of that
and how did you know when it was a good
time to continue that growth?
Speaker 4 (07:56):
Well, we really didn't have any choice. So when I started,
we had just not I started. I accepted my job
the day that we announced that we were entering the MLS.
Got it, and it was the fastest transition from minor
league to major league soccer yet to occur. So that
announcement happened in the summer, and we started playing in
the league the following spring, so we had to ramp
(08:20):
up very quickly. We were playing in a temporary venue.
We hired to hire staff, so the first year we
really spent just launching and then we started building. And
so then we built a stadium, we built a team,
we built a staff with everything from the ground up.
You know, we had this base of a minor league team,
but really had to fill it out. And then we opened,
(08:42):
and we opened this beautiful, fantastic stadium that we all
poured our heart and souls into and we'll be everyone
who worked on that project has fond memories and we'll
be proud of it their whole careers.
Speaker 3 (08:53):
I'm sure. And then, you know, it was difficult.
Speaker 4 (08:56):
After the big year of opening, we hit COVID and
had to close down right away, and it was a
difficult transition to leave. But they're back up and running,
had an amazing start this season, and in a little
bit of a slump right now, lacking some players to
international duty. But I have full faith in the team
and we'll always hit my court be a fan forever.
Speaker 3 (09:19):
I love it.
Speaker 1 (09:20):
If you could give up your proudest moment, would it
be the opening of the field.
Speaker 4 (09:25):
You say, that's a point in time that I'm proudest of,
and it's certainly standing there that day and seeing it
all come to life is super rewarding. And I know
people who work in our industry that have opened multiple
buildings and have experienced that multiple times.
Speaker 3 (09:41):
I will say I have no desire to do it again.
Speaker 4 (09:44):
One was enough for me, But I at that point
in time I'm very proud of. But I'm more proud of,
like the the entirety of the project and kind of
the people that we did the work with and the
relationships that I have from that time, and so I'm
just really grateful for the whole seven years.
Speaker 2 (10:02):
That's amazing, all right. So you alluded to United Health Group.
Speaker 1 (10:07):
So prior to Minnesota United you were there there, you
were the director of operations.
Speaker 2 (10:13):
What was that like did you Because as you can see.
Speaker 1 (10:16):
We're working our way back, but you can tell that
every position has been a stepping stone for the next.
So at United Health Group, what was most valuable for you?
Speaker 4 (10:25):
So I spent five years actually in the Office of
Social Responsibility and with the United Health Group Foundation, and
so those years taught me a lot about big corporate.
Speaker 3 (10:37):
And navigating kind of that environment.
Speaker 4 (10:40):
It was a finance specific role, but I wasn't directly
underneath finance, so I had kind of a niche job
that I really enjoyed. It gave me a lot of
opportunity to senior executives because we were working on both
the corporate giving and the foundation given, which is often
decided by you know, you're senior most leaders, and so
(11:02):
really appreciate what I learned in a big corporate setting
and kind of the disciplines and the structure that you
learn in that setting, and that's been really helpful for
me taking that back into a small business environment.
Speaker 3 (11:14):
So really thankful for that time too.
Speaker 1 (11:16):
And it's different, but it all kind of comes together again,
like as you've moved on in your career, all right.
So prior to that public accounting small business consultant, that
was for how many years?
Speaker 4 (11:32):
So I went to United Health Group at twenty eleven,
so the combination of those two things was probably ten
to fourteen years prior to that. So started in public accounting.
And then I have five children. So this is where
it gets harder to tell a story without intermingling my
(11:53):
personal and my professional. So I have five children, and
when they were younger, obviously it was very difficult to
balance both my career and and parenting five children that
were very busy. So I did a lot of consulting
and I had a lot of small business owners that
I did accounting, bookkeeping, you know, HR, I t other
(12:17):
types of consulting for And the nice thing about the
I only took on clients that could be flexible with
my schedule, and so I would, you know, balance part
time work. I would balance working evenings after the kids
went to bed.
Speaker 3 (12:31):
That's my office hours were late at night in that era.
Speaker 4 (12:35):
And so I did that for a lot of years,
and I learned a lot about how businesses are operate.
I learned that if a business owner trust you with
their money, they will trust you with just about anything,
and you become a resource really to help them guide
and operate their business, which is how I learned a
lot about how things work, legal, finance, HR, it all
(12:59):
kinds of things. And so that really was the foundation
that I was able then to carry into the rest
of my career and apply those skills and just in
a bigger setting like the Green Bay Packers.
Speaker 1 (13:09):
The woman of many trades is what I'm what I
am imagining in my head. So you mentioned five children, yes,
all right? So and a couple of grandchildren yes, and
some grand puppies and all of the above.
Speaker 2 (13:24):
Let's let's talk about them.
Speaker 4 (13:25):
So oldest is My oldest daughter is twenty nine.
Speaker 3 (13:30):
I have a son. I'll just go in order.
Speaker 4 (13:33):
I have two daughters and three sons, and they range
in age from twenty nine to eighteen. And so this
is the inner you know, the part of the story
where you get to hear how I went from sociology
undergrad to public accounting. That wasn't a straight path. So
I got married straight out of college and had three
(13:56):
children pretty close together, and then found myself at twenty
five as a single mom with three young children under
the age of four. And it was a time of
reflection and certainly a stressful time where I had to
figure out, you know, what's next, and what do I
(14:16):
do and what does the future look like? And how
do I provide for my family now that I'm on
my own? And so accounting became something that was introduced
to me through a nonprofit a micro enterprise course that
I took just to get some exposure to business, and
I decided that I would go back to school and
(14:37):
basically accomplish an equivalent of an accounting major, which allowed
for me at the time to sit for my CPA exam.
Speaker 3 (14:46):
And so that's what I did.
Speaker 4 (14:48):
I went back to school and took all accounting classes
and then in the fall of two thousand and one,
I sat for the CPA exam, And that honestly was
one of my biggest accomplishments, going through that schooling and
setting that goal and then and then passing that exam
(15:09):
while parenting three children.
Speaker 3 (15:11):
With a lot of uncertainty.
Speaker 4 (15:13):
I look back and that really was a turning point
for me and kind of prove to myself that, you know,
I can overcome anything.
Speaker 1 (15:21):
It's very inspiring and I think one of the biggest
things that I'm taking from that is just because the
hand that your dealt may not be exactly what you envisioned,
there are ways that you can get out of those
situations and find ways to improve yourself that may not
be the typical route that that is customary in society.
Speaker 3 (15:44):
Yeah, I'll add to that.
Speaker 4 (15:45):
You know, an important part of the story I haven't
touched upon yet was my husband.
Speaker 2 (15:50):
You're steeling the words right out of my mouth. That
was my next question.
Speaker 4 (15:54):
And so Sam Smith is an incredible individual who came
into my life in soon after that time and met me,
you know, working towards a goal as a young mom
with young children, and he came alongside me and said,
let's do this together. And so we supported me through
(16:15):
that process and we married soon after I passed the
CPA exam, and we decided to have two more children
in the following years. And then over time, you know,
we've really done this dance of supporting each other's careers.
And there have been times when you know, I've needed
to be more in the support role and he's really
(16:36):
been chasing important career goals that he's had, and then
other times when he's been able to provide more of
that for me while I had different transitions. And so
the partnership that we have and the relationship that we've
developed and all that we've done together really is a
testament to that partnership.
Speaker 3 (16:55):
So I certainly didn't do it alone.
Speaker 1 (16:58):
Absolutely, and just this year right with Wesley still being
in Minnesota and him making the back and forth. It
just it truly shows what a great partner he is.
So we don't have that much time left. I know
it's flown by, but let's go a little bit. You
don't have a lot of free time, as you've previously
alluded to, five children, a huge responsibility at the packers,
(17:20):
so your time is really valuable, and I hear.
Speaker 2 (17:22):
Hockey is a big part of that. Can you explain hockey?
That's so cool.
Speaker 4 (17:28):
So none of our children played hockey except for Wesley,
and I fell in love with the sport watching him play,
spending many many hours in the rink. And an opportunity
came about ten years ago to take an adult women's
beginner hockey clinic, and happened to gather a group of
(17:51):
women in the neighborhood, and we decided to give it
a shot, and we just had the best time. I
didn't grow up with any hockey experience. One of my
teammates grew up in Florida, so she certainly hadn't laced
up before. And we had such a great time taking
these clinics that we ultimately formed a team and that
(18:11):
team has been together now for about ten years, and
we just really enjoy learning something new, stepping outside of
our comfort zone, working hard together, and for someone who
didn't grow up in an era where team sports were
as available to women, having this team atmosphere and locker
(18:32):
room support and experiencing this as an adult, even if
our hockey may be marginal at best, the fact that
we have that experience has been really rewarding and so
so thankful to be part of a team.
Speaker 1 (18:47):
That's really cool and it's actually really neat what's happening
in women's professional hockey currently and kind of the rise
of that. So I'm excited to continue to watch that
and other women's sports who are seeing kind of spikes
and engagement.
Speaker 3 (19:01):
Well, you're welcome to come watch us sometimes.
Speaker 2 (19:03):
Oh chick about I have to.
Speaker 1 (19:05):
Do that in Minnesota United. I've yet to attend a
game there. So all right, I like to end my
podcast with one final question. So, if you were to
provide one word that describes the culmination of your career
up until now, what would that word be.
Speaker 3 (19:21):
It's a hard one.
Speaker 4 (19:22):
I think I think I'd go back to I think
I've used that word a couple of times, which is fortunate.
There are times when I step back and say, there's
nothing about the path that my life has taken that
would provide me with the opportunity I have today, and
so I am very grateful for the experiences I get
(19:44):
to have and for the job that I have today.
And it's not that there wasn't work that went into it,
but there's certainly things that were just really fortunate path
that I was able to find myself in, and I'm
just really grateful for where I'm at today.
Speaker 2 (20:01):
Truly inspiring.
Speaker 1 (20:03):
Maureen Smith, chief Financial Officer of the Packers, thank you
so much for joining me today on how to sport
for
Hi, and welcome to How to Score, the show that
highlights the unique experiences and journeys of professionals and sports biz.
I'm your host, Megan Robertson, and I have the privilege
to be here today with Green Bay Packers Chief financial
Officer Maureen Smith.
Speaker 2 (00:20):
Welcome, Maureen.
Speaker 3 (00:21):
Hello.
Speaker 1 (00:22):
We are so happy to have you on the show today.
So we'll kind of start from the very beginning, but
we're actually going to fast forward and then work our
way back.
Speaker 2 (00:30):
How does that sound?
Speaker 3 (00:30):
That sounds great.
Speaker 1 (00:32):
You grew up in Davisburg, Michigan, received your bachelor's degree
from the University of Michigan in sociology, and now you're
the CFO of the Packers. Like, how did that happen?
What's your day to day? Like, what's the most exciting
thing about your job? Tell me everything?
Speaker 3 (00:47):
Well, how did that happen?
Speaker 4 (00:49):
I don't know that I even know how to answer
that question, but I think we'll go we'll talk a
little bit later about the journey that got me here.
And it's a bit unconventional as far as my day
to day. I mean, listen, I get up every morning
and I drive to lambeau Field.
Speaker 3 (01:04):
Like that pitched me it's a pretty incredible thing.
Speaker 4 (01:09):
I had a few people ask me, really, you go
to work there every day, so it's pretty awesome location
and I kind of place to come to work each day.
Speaker 1 (01:21):
Yeah, I know, like in lambeau Field, our marketing department
puts up new banners every year, and one of them
that always reminds me like, even on the toughest of days,
like this is someone's bucket list and it's so true
and for you, like getting to work for the packers
has to be kind of part of that journey, even
though you didn't necessarily know that was going to be
(01:42):
part of your bucket list.
Speaker 2 (01:43):
So like, how cool.
Speaker 3 (01:45):
It's very cool.
Speaker 4 (01:45):
A long way from sneaking to television into my room
to watch Monday night football when I was in middle school.
But if you go back to what's the most exciting
part of my day, I will say, after getting over
the fact that you're coming to Lambeufield to work every day,
I'm just incredibly honored to get to work with the
people that we work with here, such an incredible staff
that is so dedicated to what we're doing, and love
(02:09):
this team through and through, and at the end of
the day, I oversee a finance and an IT function,
but we get to do it in one of the
coolest industries and businesses in the world, And.
Speaker 1 (02:20):
You pointed to it, you have such an incredible team,
Like I get to work with some of them, and
really the uniqueness of their journeys again talking about that
journey and how they all come together to make sure
that we're functioning. And a lot of those people are
behind the scenes, so you don't really have a true
appreciation until you get to be in their.
Speaker 2 (02:42):
Day to day to really understand that.
Speaker 1 (02:44):
So this kind of goes into my next question, which
was when you took the role, like what did you
expect the biggest challenge to be working for this and
leading those two departments.
Speaker 4 (02:55):
So I'll say I've worked in sports for a little
bit before coming here, and so one of the things
you get kind of used to that you don't realize
before you work in the industry is in a lot
of ways, these are small businesses with big business visibility,
and so the assumption is behind all of the things
you see in the media, there's a very large, sophisticated operation,
(03:17):
and what I will say is underneath it, there's a
couple hundred people doing really big things to make it
all work. So I wasn't surprised by that because I
was used to that from the sports industry. But I
will say one of the things that I had a
friend asked me when I took the job, is aren't
you going to be bored? You're a builder, you like
(03:39):
to do new things and create, and this place has
been around for a really long time. There might not
be anything for you to build. And what I'll say
is unpleasantly surprised. And what is true is no matter
where you are in the life cycle of a business,
there is always work to be done, and there's always
things to work on and improve.
Speaker 3 (03:58):
And so I just here to say I am not born.
Speaker 2 (04:02):
Oh my gosh. Yeah, it's funny.
Speaker 1 (04:05):
The Packers are always looking to evolve and figure out
the next the next big thing. Whether we're not necessarily
like the front runners a lot of times for someone
that's going to take on these new projects.
Speaker 2 (04:15):
But I mean the Packers Athletic Club.
Speaker 1 (04:18):
Right like you had a big hand in making sure
all of that came together, specifically from a finance perspective.
So I think that's just one one way to demonstrate
that yeah, we're You're definitely not.
Speaker 3 (04:29):
There's always something new that's incredible.
Speaker 1 (04:32):
So growing up in Michigan, I have to ask, were
you a Packers fan or were you.
Speaker 2 (04:38):
I know, heaven forbid me say a Lions fan.
Speaker 4 (04:41):
I did not grow up Alliance Ovan. Actually I grew
up in the era of Boomer sisin and and the
Icky Shuffle, and I had a temporary stint following the Bengals.
But when you are a University of Michigan UH fan
and and and UH student, you don't really need another team.
(05:02):
So they've been my team in football for a lot
of years and.
Speaker 2 (05:05):
It was a very exciting season last year, for sure.
Speaker 1 (05:08):
So your youngest son, Wesley, we'll get to your family
in a little bit. One of five is a huge
Packers fan. Can you describe the moment you told him
that you got this job.
Speaker 4 (05:19):
So Wesley, born and raised in Minnesota, came home from
preschool with a green and gold painting and when I
asked him what it was, he told me it was
Greg Jennings. So this was a lot of years ago
and we have no idea where it came from, but
he was a huge Packer fan. We owned several cheeseheads.
Well before I even dreamed of working for the packers.
(05:43):
I'll have to say that might have been a talking
point with Mark Murphy during my interview that he appreciated.
And so when I told him that I was interviewing here,
he was obviously very excited. And when I got the
job offer, he said to me, Mom, you have to
take it, just don't make me leave high school. So
Wesley did stay behind this year and finished high school
(06:05):
in Minnesota while I commuted back and forth.
Speaker 3 (06:08):
And so he got his wish.
Speaker 4 (06:10):
His mom worked for the packers and he got to
finish his high school career with his friends in Minnesota.
Speaker 2 (06:15):
I have chills just thinking about it. What a dream
for both of you.
Speaker 1 (06:19):
All right, so packers, But then before that, you actually
were with you know, as a as a former soccer player,
working in the MLS would be incredible. So you worked
for Minnesota United. Let's start from you became the COO,
but you started as the controller.
Speaker 2 (06:37):
Is that correct?
Speaker 3 (06:38):
That's correct?
Speaker 2 (06:39):
So let's start there.
Speaker 4 (06:40):
So I received a really fortunate opportunity to be introduced
to doctor Bill McGuire, the owner, the primary owner of
Minnesota United.
Speaker 3 (06:51):
In twenty sixteen. I want to say.
Speaker 4 (06:54):
And I knew that they were a minor league team
at the time, and they were getting ready to bid
for MLS, and there was talk of a new stadium,
and I was really looking. I was spending I had
been at a United Health group and looking to do
something a little more entrepreneurial and step away from big
corporate for a little bit. And I got this introduction
(07:15):
and it was just a fantastic time to get in
at Minnesota United and be part of what a fantastic project.
So we got to build and open the most beautiful stadium,
in my opinion, in North America for soccer, which is
Alian's Field, launched a team and really did tremendous things
(07:37):
with a team of people that were very hard working
and dedicated.
Speaker 3 (07:41):
So it was a fantastic seven years, and.
Speaker 1 (07:44):
You grew the organization from fifty employees to more than
one hundred and fifty. What was the process of that
and how did you know when it was a good
time to continue that growth?
Speaker 4 (07:56):
Well, we really didn't have any choice. So when I started,
we had just not I started. I accepted my job
the day that we announced that we were entering the MLS.
Got it, and it was the fastest transition from minor
league to major league soccer yet to occur. So that
announcement happened in the summer, and we started playing in
the league the following spring, so we had to ramp
(08:20):
up very quickly. We were playing in a temporary venue.
We hired to hire staff, so the first year we
really spent just launching and then we started building. And
so then we built a stadium, we built a team,
we built a staff with everything from the ground up.
You know, we had this base of a minor league team,
but really had to fill it out. And then we opened,
(08:42):
and we opened this beautiful, fantastic stadium that we all
poured our heart and souls into and we'll be everyone
who worked on that project has fond memories and we'll
be proud of it their whole careers.
Speaker 3 (08:53):
I'm sure. And then, you know, it was difficult.
Speaker 4 (08:56):
After the big year of opening, we hit COVID and
had to close down right away, and it was a
difficult transition to leave. But they're back up and running,
had an amazing start this season, and in a little
bit of a slump right now, lacking some players to
international duty. But I have full faith in the team
and we'll always hit my court be a fan forever.
Speaker 3 (09:19):
I love it.
Speaker 1 (09:20):
If you could give up your proudest moment, would it
be the opening of the field.
Speaker 4 (09:25):
You say, that's a point in time that I'm proudest of,
and it's certainly standing there that day and seeing it
all come to life is super rewarding. And I know
people who work in our industry that have opened multiple
buildings and have experienced that multiple times.
Speaker 3 (09:41):
I will say I have no desire to do it again.
Speaker 4 (09:44):
One was enough for me, But I at that point
in time I'm very proud of. But I'm more proud of,
like the the entirety of the project and kind of
the people that we did the work with and the
relationships that I have from that time, and so I'm
just really grateful for the whole seven years.
Speaker 2 (10:02):
That's amazing, all right. So you alluded to United Health Group.
Speaker 1 (10:07):
So prior to Minnesota United you were there there, you
were the director of operations.
Speaker 2 (10:13):
What was that like did you Because as you can see.
Speaker 1 (10:16):
We're working our way back, but you can tell that
every position has been a stepping stone for the next.
So at United Health Group, what was most valuable for you?
Speaker 4 (10:25):
So I spent five years actually in the Office of
Social Responsibility and with the United Health Group Foundation, and
so those years taught me a lot about big corporate.
Speaker 3 (10:37):
And navigating kind of that environment.
Speaker 4 (10:40):
It was a finance specific role, but I wasn't directly
underneath finance, so I had kind of a niche job
that I really enjoyed. It gave me a lot of
opportunity to senior executives because we were working on both
the corporate giving and the foundation given, which is often
decided by you know, you're senior most leaders, and so
(11:02):
really appreciate what I learned in a big corporate setting
and kind of the disciplines and the structure that you
learn in that setting, and that's been really helpful for
me taking that back into a small business environment.
Speaker 3 (11:14):
So really thankful for that time too.
Speaker 1 (11:16):
And it's different, but it all kind of comes together again,
like as you've moved on in your career, all right.
So prior to that public accounting small business consultant, that
was for how many years?
Speaker 4 (11:32):
So I went to United Health Group at twenty eleven,
so the combination of those two things was probably ten
to fourteen years prior to that. So started in public accounting.
And then I have five children. So this is where
it gets harder to tell a story without intermingling my
(11:53):
personal and my professional. So I have five children, and
when they were younger, obviously it was very difficult to
balance both my career and and parenting five children that
were very busy. So I did a lot of consulting
and I had a lot of small business owners that
I did accounting, bookkeeping, you know, HR, I t other
(12:17):
types of consulting for And the nice thing about the
I only took on clients that could be flexible with
my schedule, and so I would, you know, balance part
time work. I would balance working evenings after the kids
went to bed.
Speaker 3 (12:31):
That's my office hours were late at night in that era.
Speaker 4 (12:35):
And so I did that for a lot of years,
and I learned a lot about how businesses are operate.
I learned that if a business owner trust you with
their money, they will trust you with just about anything,
and you become a resource really to help them guide
and operate their business, which is how I learned a
lot about how things work, legal, finance, HR, it all
(12:59):
kinds of things. And so that really was the foundation
that I was able then to carry into the rest
of my career and apply those skills and just in
a bigger setting like the Green Bay Packers.
Speaker 1 (13:09):
The woman of many trades is what I'm what I
am imagining in my head. So you mentioned five children, yes,
all right? So and a couple of grandchildren yes, and
some grand puppies and all of the above.
Speaker 2 (13:24):
Let's let's talk about them.
Speaker 4 (13:25):
So oldest is My oldest daughter is twenty nine.
Speaker 3 (13:30):
I have a son. I'll just go in order.
Speaker 4 (13:33):
I have two daughters and three sons, and they range
in age from twenty nine to eighteen. And so this
is the inner you know, the part of the story
where you get to hear how I went from sociology
undergrad to public accounting. That wasn't a straight path. So
I got married straight out of college and had three
(13:56):
children pretty close together, and then found myself at twenty
five as a single mom with three young children under
the age of four. And it was a time of
reflection and certainly a stressful time where I had to
figure out, you know, what's next, and what do I
(14:16):
do and what does the future look like? And how
do I provide for my family now that I'm on
my own? And so accounting became something that was introduced
to me through a nonprofit a micro enterprise course that
I took just to get some exposure to business, and
I decided that I would go back to school and
(14:37):
basically accomplish an equivalent of an accounting major, which allowed
for me at the time to sit for my CPA exam.
Speaker 3 (14:46):
And so that's what I did.
Speaker 4 (14:48):
I went back to school and took all accounting classes
and then in the fall of two thousand and one,
I sat for the CPA exam, And that honestly was
one of my biggest accomplishments, going through that schooling and
setting that goal and then and then passing that exam
(15:09):
while parenting three children.
Speaker 3 (15:11):
With a lot of uncertainty.
Speaker 4 (15:13):
I look back and that really was a turning point
for me and kind of prove to myself that, you know,
I can overcome anything.
Speaker 1 (15:21):
It's very inspiring and I think one of the biggest
things that I'm taking from that is just because the
hand that your dealt may not be exactly what you envisioned,
there are ways that you can get out of those
situations and find ways to improve yourself that may not
be the typical route that that is customary in society.
Speaker 3 (15:44):
Yeah, I'll add to that.
Speaker 4 (15:45):
You know, an important part of the story I haven't
touched upon yet was my husband.
Speaker 2 (15:50):
You're steeling the words right out of my mouth. That
was my next question.
Speaker 4 (15:54):
And so Sam Smith is an incredible individual who came
into my life in soon after that time and met me,
you know, working towards a goal as a young mom
with young children, and he came alongside me and said,
let's do this together. And so we supported me through
(16:15):
that process and we married soon after I passed the
CPA exam, and we decided to have two more children
in the following years. And then over time, you know,
we've really done this dance of supporting each other's careers.
And there have been times when you know, I've needed
to be more in the support role and he's really
(16:36):
been chasing important career goals that he's had, and then
other times when he's been able to provide more of
that for me while I had different transitions. And so
the partnership that we have and the relationship that we've
developed and all that we've done together really is a
testament to that partnership.
Speaker 3 (16:55):
So I certainly didn't do it alone.
Speaker 1 (16:58):
Absolutely, and just this year right with Wesley still being
in Minnesota and him making the back and forth. It
just it truly shows what a great partner he is.
So we don't have that much time left. I know
it's flown by, but let's go a little bit. You
don't have a lot of free time, as you've previously
alluded to, five children, a huge responsibility at the packers,
(17:20):
so your time is really valuable, and I hear.
Speaker 2 (17:22):
Hockey is a big part of that. Can you explain hockey?
That's so cool.
Speaker 4 (17:28):
So none of our children played hockey except for Wesley,
and I fell in love with the sport watching him play,
spending many many hours in the rink. And an opportunity
came about ten years ago to take an adult women's
beginner hockey clinic, and happened to gather a group of
(17:51):
women in the neighborhood, and we decided to give it
a shot, and we just had the best time. I
didn't grow up with any hockey experience. One of my
teammates grew up in Florida, so she certainly hadn't laced
up before. And we had such a great time taking
these clinics that we ultimately formed a team and that
(18:11):
team has been together now for about ten years, and
we just really enjoy learning something new, stepping outside of
our comfort zone, working hard together, and for someone who
didn't grow up in an era where team sports were
as available to women, having this team atmosphere and locker
(18:32):
room support and experiencing this as an adult, even if
our hockey may be marginal at best, the fact that
we have that experience has been really rewarding and so
so thankful to be part of a team.
Speaker 1 (18:47):
That's really cool and it's actually really neat what's happening
in women's professional hockey currently and kind of the rise
of that. So I'm excited to continue to watch that
and other women's sports who are seeing kind of spikes
and engagement.
Speaker 3 (19:01):
Well, you're welcome to come watch us sometimes.
Speaker 2 (19:03):
Oh chick about I have to.
Speaker 1 (19:05):
Do that in Minnesota United. I've yet to attend a
game there. So all right, I like to end my
podcast with one final question. So, if you were to
provide one word that describes the culmination of your career
up until now, what would that word be.
Speaker 3 (19:21):
It's a hard one.
Speaker 4 (19:22):
I think I think I'd go back to I think
I've used that word a couple of times, which is fortunate.
There are times when I step back and say, there's
nothing about the path that my life has taken that
would provide me with the opportunity I have today, and
so I am very grateful for the experiences I get
(19:44):
to have and for the job that I have today.
And it's not that there wasn't work that went into it,
but there's certainly things that were just really fortunate path
that I was able to find myself in, and I'm
just really grateful for where I'm at today.
Speaker 2 (20:01):
Truly inspiring.
Speaker 1 (20:03):
Maureen Smith, chief Financial Officer of the Packers, thank you
so much for joining me today on how to sport
for
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