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On a shelf in Liz Geist’s office sits her father’s original Super Bowl Shuffle album, which he played decades ago when he was a radio station DJ in Chicago. Next to the iconic album cover is a semi-broken Bears bobblehead from the 1960s that belonged to her father as a child.
On Guest’s first day with the Chicago Bears in 2014, her father mailed the two mementos to her office along with some mini footballs.
“This is really special,” Guest said. “Sports have always brought my family together. Watching the Bears play on Sundays was always very important to us, so this is a natural connection for me.”
The two items have sat on Guest’s desk ever since, a reminder of her passion for the Bears, a passion her father instilled in her as a little girl growing up in Kankakee, Ill. .
What Guest himself learned was true loyalty to the Bears.
When she was 10, her family moved to Madison, Wisconsin, surrounded by Green Bay Packers fans. After a few years in Wisconsin, her father suddenly switched sides and began rooting for a rival team. Guest returned to the Bears a few years later, but he never shook his roots.
“I’ve always admired Chicago and the Bears,” Guest said. “As a suburbanite, this city means everything to me. That’s where the Bears play, that’s where Soldier Field is – all those things are iconic to me. It’s always been in my soul. . So, it’s easy for me to stay loyal. ”
Now, Guest is celebrating the 10th anniversary of the club to which she remains fiercely loyal and has been promoted to executive vice president of people and culture and chief human resources officer. Considering her lifelong fandom, she finds these achievements “pretty surreal.”
Guest will be a key strategic partner to President and Chief Executive Officer Kevin Warren, supporting his vision to achieve organizational excellence, build a world-class culture and sustain success. She will continue to lead the club’s human resources strategy to create a supportive and empowering workplace culture where employees can thrive. Guest will also continue to oversee all aspects of human resources to ensure the Bears attract and retain top talent while fostering a culture of excellence and innovation.
“The Bears and the McCaskey family have always cared about our employees,” Guest said. “But I think it’s critical in C-suite conversations to have a ‘people-first’ person at the table. Having someone who is focused on the people, the culture and the people who work for the organization will add substance to the work of the organization . ” All conversations can change outcomes.
“HR is like a fulcrum – that little triangle that balances the seesaw. HR balances the needs of the club with the needs of the staff, and that’s the best organization. So if I could be at that table right now that I’m hearing, ‘It’s all about the organization,’ and now I know what our people need to be successful and stay successful.”
When Guest started working at the club as human resources manager, she was the only member of the human resources department. Guest, who has worked in a variety of industries including nonprofits, transportation and logistics, is accustomed to rolling up her sleeves and getting down to work.
Before building his own team, which now consists of four employees, Guest focused on growing the organization’s capabilities and changing the narrative around HR.
“Since HR is a new function for the Bears, it’s important to set the tone that HR is not a scary place to be,” Guest said. “If you have questions or need support, you can come here. We advocate for the staff, we advocate for the club. It’s really great to help build a special working environment and what that means philosophically. And put in place I’m very proud of the policy and the process of what we do here.”
Guest has been at the forefront of numerous Bears initiatives, such as standardizing the recruiting process and prioritizing mental health support for employees. One of the changes Guest is most proud of is the implementation of a paid family leave policy just one year after she joined the Bears.
“Coming here and knowing how much we promote family and knowing that we don’t have a paid family leave policy, I felt like we had to correct that quickly,” Guest said. “I think we were the first in the NFL to create and launch a paid family leave policy. Family Leave is part of the team. Giving employees the peace of mind of being compensated, whether someone is having a baby or a sick loved one, gives them the peace of mind to put their family first.”
Guest is also proud of his role in building a diversity, equity and inclusion team. She remembers hiring a diversity consultant in 2019 with the support of senior leadership to assess the club’s culture. While Guest knows the Bears still have a lot to improve, she’s proud of the changes that have come out of the evaluation, adding, “It really pushes our efforts as an organization and highlights to everyone that we still have improvement. Space.”
The expansion and renovation of Harrah’s Hall in 2018 and 2019 was a project that Guest called a “labor of love.” Guest’s team visited different sports facilities, gathering the best components from all over and bringing them to the Bears. She hopes staff and players alike feel the investment is for them.
Throughout his tenure with the Bears, Guest has also been a stabilizing force during periods of change within the organization. Guest is pleased to be able to provide stability while moving the franchise forward as the team continues to undergo transformation on and off the court under Warren’s leadership.
“Kevin is an incredible leader and presence, and we connected immediately,” Guest said. “I am extremely grateful to work with him and senior leadership to continue to shape an environment that fosters a championship mentality.”
“Liz has been an integral part of the Chicago Bears family for ten years and her dedication to building a world-class human resources department has been invaluable,” Warren said. “Her visionary leadership, commitment to our employees A deep commitment to well-being and a deep understanding of the Chicago Bears organization make her the perfect person to lead our people and culture efforts. Liz is extremely talented and her promotion is a testament to her hard work and dedication to her craft. We are pleased that Liz continues to make impactful contributions in this elevated position. I thank our Chairman, George H. McCaskey, and the entire McCaskey family for their support in recognizing Liz’s talents and The importance of this role to our organization.”
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