The Chicago Bears were always going to go in new directions when Kevin Warren took over as team president two years ago. It was merely a question of what changes he’d make and how deep they would go. Surprisingly, his changes to the organization haven’t been sweeping. Warren has worked hard to get to know the people inside Halas Hall and determine how many of them can help him fulfill his vision for the organization. All things considered, there haven’t been many significant additions to the power structure.
On Friday, news broke that the team had hired Laura Anderson as its new senior vice president of administration and Chief Financial Officer. Before that, she held a similar position for six years with the Big Ten conference. She worked closely with Warren during that period, changing the landscape of college football with new TV deals and the acquisitions of USC and UCLA. She knows the Bears president well and should make a perfect money expert to guide the organization through an expensive period with the new stadium.
Kevin Warren leaned on local roots with Anderson.
She is a native of Naperville and earned an accounting degree from Illinois University. In 2008, she became the President of the Junior League of Chicago. After two years, she became an advisor for ESI Consultants, located in her hometown. The Big Ten lured her into the sports landscape in 2018 where she met Kevin Warren a year later. It appears he never forgot her work during that time. Bringing her home to Chicago to help run the Bears must be a dream come true for Anderson. Given the success of the Big Ten during her stint there, it should offer excitement for what’s to come at Halas Hall. Her expertise could be valuable to an ownership that is currently in flux.