George McCaskey Takes Over As Bears Chairman

LAKE FOREST, Ill. (CBS) -- George Halas McCaskey has officially taken over from his older brother Michael as chairman of the board for the Bears.

While Halas Hall remains shuttered to players due to the ongoing labor dispute, the front-office changes went ahead on the second floor. In a story on ChicagoBears.com, McCaskey called the official move "humbling and exciting."

Michael McCaskey announced his retirement a year ago. The past season has been a transition, in which George McCaskey was to learn about NFL team marketing, information technology and sponsorships, Michael McCaskey said at the time.

George McCaskey has worked as senior director of ticket operations for the Bears since 1991, and has been on the team's board of directors since 2004. Prior to that, he was a producer and writer for CBS 2 in the 1980s.

He is the eighth oldest son of Bears principal owner Virginia McCaskey, and the grandson of George "Papa Bear" Halas.

His older brother, Michael McCaskey, had been president and chief executive officer of the Bears after Halas died in 1983, and re-signed Coach Mike Ditka the following year despite personal animosity between them. Michael McCaskey held the position when the Bears won the Super Bowl in the 1985-86 season.

But Michael McCaskey and Ditka continued to clash, and the McCaskey finally fired Ditka in 1992 after the Bears went 5-11.

Michael McCaskey then hired coach Dave Wannstedt, who was in turn fired in 1998. After the botched hiring of Dave McGinnis for the head coaching position, McCaskey was demoted to chairman of the board.