Joe Banner
Joe Banner (born February 13, 1953) is an American football executive who was the former president of the Philadelphia Eagles (2001–2012), former chief executive officer of the Cleveland Browns (2012–2013), and former front office consultant for the Atlanta Falcons (2014–2015). During his tenure as President of the Eagles, they went to five NFC Championship Games in eight seasons, including Super Bowl XXXIX. He is a co-founder of The 33rd Team, which describes itself as a "football Think Tank." Pre-football career. Born to a Jewish family, Banner attended the Rivers School in Weston, Massachusetts and studied economics  at Denison University in Granville, Ohio. In 1975, he spent a semester interning at WCAU 1210 AM radio in Philadelphia; soon after, he was hired there as a sports producer and reporter. Banner left WCAU when he opened a chain of clothing stores in Boston called Designer’s Clothing. He then became Co-Chairman of the Board for the Greater Philadelphia chapter of City Year, a national non-profit organization promoting community service for youth. Football executive. In 1994, Banner began his work in professional football when Jeffrey Lurie, an old friend, purchased the Eagles. He was promoted in 1996  to senior vice president, and in 1997 from senior vice president of administration to executive vice president. In 2006, his contract was extended through 2010. On April 1, 2010, his contract was extended three more years through 2013. He changed positions on June 7, 2012, becoming the strategic adviser to team owner Lurie. Don Smolenski replaced Banner as president. In 2001, Banner received a "PARTNERS Leadership Award" from the University of Pennsylvania for his extensive community service, including volunteer activities reading to students in the Boston public schools and spending time with severely ill children in the Boston Children's  Hospital. He has also been heavily involved, in both Boston and Philadelphia, with City Year, a program based on volunteers who commit to a year of full-time volunteer work. In 2012, Banner was reportedly part of a group that was interested in purchasing the Cleveland Browns. On October 16, 2012, Banner was announced as the new CEO of the Cleveland Browns by new owner Jimmy Haslam. On February 11, 2014, the Cleveland Browns announced that Banner (as well as the team's General Manager, Mike Lombardi) would be leaving the Browns within the next two months. On December 24 , 2014, Banner was hired by the Atlanta Falcons.