The Chicago Bears hired Laura Anderson to be their senior vice president of administration and chief financial officer, the team announced Monday. Anderson comes to the Bears after seven years at the Big Ten Conference, where she most recently was the chief financial officer and treasurer.
Notably, Anderson worked with Bears president and CEO Kevin Warren when he was the Big Ten commissioner from 2020-23.
“Laura is a tremendous addition to the Chicago Bears family,” Warren said in a statement. “During our time together at the Big Ten Conference, Laura served as a talented and creative driving force on our executive team, advancing our operations with financial excellence and a passion for collective growth.”
According to the Bears, Anderson will oversee all financial, accounting and information technology operations.
“I am honored and humbled to fulfill a life-long dream of being a member of the Chicago Bears,” Anderson said in a statement.
The Bears have hired a number of new executives to lead the organization since Warren became president in 2023. That has included several women in leadership positions.
“Along with her extensive background in finance, accounting and strategic planning, Laura is a strong leader with an administrative vision and adaptability that will be critical for the Chicago Bears as we continue to build a transformative and world-class NFL franchise,” said Karen Murphy, the Bears executive vice president of stadium development and chief operating officer, in a statement.
the conference’s presidents, chancellors and other athletic advisory entities. “]Prior to becoming CFO and treasurer at the conference, Anderson was senior vice president and controller for the Big Ten. She worked at the Big Ten during a time of significant change. The conference negotiated a new television deal in 2022 and added four new members (Oregon, UCLA, USC and Washington) in 2024.
Before joining the Big Ten, Anderson was a senior financial consultant for ESI Consultants. The Illinois native also previously worked as an audit consultant for Arthur Andersen LLP in Chicago.