Bears promote Karen B. Murphy to EVP of stadium development, COO 

Karen B. Murphy is no stranger to the challenges and fulfillment that comes with being a woman leader in sports.

Murphy’s career with the Bears has spanned over 25 years. She started as a controller in 1999 before being promoted to Chief Financial Officer in 2002 then senior vice president of business strategy in 2016. She was often the only female leader in meeting rooms, but she has never let that alter her path.

Murphy has drawn from her long lineage of strong women – including her grandmother who was asked to play in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League — and embraced her role as a trailblazer inside Halas Hall. That mindset helped lead Murphy to another promotion at the Bears.

“I’m excited to continue to change the narrative,” Murphy said. “And just like others have said, I want it to be where it’s no longer a conversation. But I relish in being a mentor and I want to help cultivate those future female leaders. I love that role. So the fact that this also happened during Women’s History Month is amazing.

“I have spent my whole career as the only woman in the room, but it never intimidated me. And actually, I took that as an opportunity to bring some diversity of thought. That’s not easy, but I relished it.”

Now as the organization’s first-ever EVP of stadium development and COO, Murphy will collaborate with President & CEO Kevin Warren to drive forward the club’s long-term vision and strategic objective of developing a new stadium.

“I am incredibly honored and excited to lead an operation that has the power to change the trajectory of this storied franchise and how fans experience the game of football in Chicago. I have always loved the game of football and the city of Chicago, and I bring that passion to work every day,” Murphy said. “I have the privilege of continuing my work for a world-class team and alongside Kevin and the rest of the organization, to create and execute on a vision that brings a state-of-the-art stadium and Super Bowls to Chicagoland.”

Murphy’s leadership and counsel will extend across critical departments, including finance & accounting, stadium & event operations, building operations, information technology, purchasing and innovation.

“Karen is an exceptional and innovative leader and has been a positive force for both the Chicago Bears and the National Football League,” Warren said. “When I joined the Chicago Bears in April of 2023, I had a primary…