Bob Harlan

Bob Harlan, 89, passed away peacefully surrounded by his family on March 5, 2026, at St. Mary’s Hospital in Green Bay. He had lived in Green Bay since 1971 and served the Green Bay Packers for 36 years, the final 19 of those as the team’s President and CEO.

Born on September 9, 1936, in Des Moines, Iowa, to E.W. “Sy” and Alice Harlan, he graduated from Marquette University in 1958. He spent six years as the university’s sports publicity director before joining baseball’s St. Louis Cardinals in 1965 to lead their community relations and speakers’ bureau. Three years later he became the Cardinals’ public relations director. In 1971 the Packers hired him as assistant general manager, and over the next 18 years he held various administrative roles before being elected President in 1989.

Harlan and his wife, Madeline, were deeply involved in the greater Green Bay community for decades, serving on numerous boards and generously giving their time to many causes. Both were honored by several organizations for their charitable work.

He is survived by Madeline, the love of his life for nearly 67 years; his son Kevin (Ann) Harlan of Mission Hills, Kansas, and their children Abigail (Bobby) Sight and their daughter Scarlett, Haley (Jerry) Mancuso and their children JJ, Mary Madeline, and Matilda, Olivia (Sam Dekker) Harlan Dekker and their children Harlan Wolf and Christian, and Robert (Gabriella) Harlan and their son Francis; his son Bryan (Barbara) Harlan of Chicago, Illinois, and their daughter Katie; and his son Michael (Cortney) Harlan of Verona, Wisconsin.