Mark Hodge Murphy

Mark Murphy is the current president and CEO of the Green Bay Packers of the National Football League (NFL). Proving that social capital can thrive even in the world of pro sports, Murphy has rightfully earned his place as one of the most respected leaders in history.

And why wouldn’t he? As the leader of the only publicly-owned, not-for-profit major professional team in the U.S., Murphy has stayed true to the intent of that legacy. It first started in 1923, when fans helped support the team by buying shares to keep it afloat. This seed grew steadily, leading to a community of 361,311 people owning the franchise (therefore making it a community project) – and Murphy knows that the only way to move forward is to give back to the same people.

This is why under his leadership, the Packers have held community events like “Empower Leadership,” a leadership event for middle school students, “Christian Outreach Ecumenical Thanksgiving Dinner,” a Thanksgiving experience for those in need, and “Festival of Lights,” a family-friendly holiday event that they’ve followed for the last 13 years. There’s also the Green Bay Packers Foundation that supports community-based charities, as well as Murphy himself making a personal donation of $250,000 to match the organization’s pledge to Wisconsin causes for social justice.

Before leading the Packers to win another Super Bowl, Murphy was a standout NFL player that helped Washington make it to two of them – and win one in the process. He obtained his M.B.A. from American University’s Kogod School of Business and graduated with a J.D. degree from the Georgetown University Law Center.