Packers hire Delaware North's Charlie Millerwise to bolster business operations
Richard Ryman
GREEN BAY – Green Bay Packers Chief Operating Officer Ed Policy beat new General Manager Brian Gutekunst to the free agent market.
The Packers on Monday named Charlie Millerwise the team's director of development and hospitality. He previously was with Packers' concessionaire Delaware North Sportservice.
Millerwise will oversee day-to-day events, serve as liaison with Delaware North, and oversee operations and assist on commercial development in the Titletown District.
"I think the first 90 days will be really heavy on Titletown," Millerwise said. "It's going to be important to jump on that. Things are going to start coming out of the ground fairly quickly over there."
In those roles, Millerwise will take some of the load off Policy, who was named chief operating officer on Jan. 17. Both are new positions that follow in the wake of Packers President and CEO Mark Murphy's decision to be more involved in football operations.
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"I think one of the more exciting things is working with me on commercial opportunities at Titletown," Policy said of Millerwise. "We talk a lot about things he's seen (around the country) that he thinks will work here."
Titletown District, the Packers' 45-acre commercial, recreational and residential district immediately west of Lambeau Field, is about to enter its second phase of development. Phase 1 included Hinterland Brewery, Lodge Kohler hotel, Bellin Health Titletown Sports Medicine and Orthopedics and a 10-acre recreational component. TitletownTech, a partnership with Microsoft Corp., was announced in October.
Phase 2 plans call for about 70 townhouses, an apartment building and other commercial development, which could include a high-end grocery store.
Millerwise was with Delaware North for 12 years, the last six in Green Bay. He was at Lambeau Field for the expansion of the south end zone, renovation of team dining, the opening of 1919 Kitchen & Tap restaurant, suite renovations, construction of Johnsonville Tailgate Village and the opening of 46 Below bistro in Titletown District.
Millerwise was promoted by Delaware North to vice president of innovation and concepts and had hired Tony Perfetti to succeed him at Lambeau Field.
"Frankly, the amount of travel was a bit more than I bargained for," Millerwise said.
He and wife Shelly have two young children and had become attached to Green Bay. Before they moved to company headquarters in Buffalo, the Packers came calling.
"It's not often you get to have someone under your roof for six years before you hire them," Policy said. "I was extremely impressed with what he and his team did with 1919."
A native of Detroit, Millwerwise was operations manager at Comerica Park in Detroit and general manager of Scottsdale Stadium in Arizona.