Jerry Angelo has brought a clear vision to Bears football after guiding Chicago to three division championships since joining the team as general manager prior to the 2001 campaign, culminating in the team’s 2006 NFC Championship and the organization’s first Super Bowl appearance in 21 years. During the 2009 offseason, Angelo orchestrated one of the biggest trades in NFL history, acquiring Pro Bowl QB Jay Cutler from the Denver Broncos. Meanwhile, rewarding core players, building through the draft and managing the salary cap are the cornerstones of Angelo's direction. His plan has created stability in Chicago and generated hope as the Bears continue to build upon a strong nucleus of talent.

Chicago has three division titles over the last eight years, ending an 11-year drought in Angelo’s first season in 2001. Angelo’s tenure has yielded an overall regular season record of 69-59 (.539), plus a 2-3 postseason mark. Under Angelo’s watch, Chicago has registered the third-most regular season wins in the NFC and 11th-most in the NFL over that same time. The Bears 40 wins in the past four seasons are tied for second best in the NFC and tied for sixth best in the NFL. Angelo's mantra during his tenure in Chicago has been "reward your own" and he has followed through by taking a proactive approach with the team's key players. In 2008, Angelo extended the contracts of 10 players, including Pro Bowlers Lance Briggs, Robbie Gould, Tommie Harris, Devin Hester and Brian Urlacher. Other Pro Bowlers to receive contract extensions since Angelo's arrival include Olin Kreutz and Nathan Vasher and nearly 75 percent of the Bears 2009 roster is signed through the next two seasons (not including the nine 2009 draft picks).

The draft, the primary means of bringing new talent to any NFL team, has been accentuated under Angelo. The efforts of his scouting staff have been highlighted after each of the last four seasons as four Bears players drafted by Angelo have received Pro Bowl selections: Lance Briggs (drafted in 2003), Tommie Harris (2004), Nathan Vasher (2004) and Devin Hester (2006). Briggs has been selected to four straight Pro Bowls. Harris was selected to three consecutive Pro Bowls from 2005-07, Hester was named to two straight (2006-07) after becoming Chicago’s first rookie Pro Bowl selection since 2000 (Brian Urlacher), while Vasher played in the Pro Bowl following the 2005 season.

After using the Bears 2009 first round pick in the Cutler trade and acquiring additional third and fifth round selections for Chicago’s second round pick, Angelo and the Bears put an emphasis on athleticism on Day 2 of the 2009 NFL draft with nine selections. Angelo's six drafts prior to 2009 produced an aggregate total of 22 rookie starters combining to make 146 starts: 38 in 2003, 30 in 2004, 33 in 2005, 15 in 2006, 14 in 2007 and 16 in 2008.

Managing the salary cap is a key element to maintaining a team's continuity and providing the ability to sign talent through free agency. Angelo and his staff have excelled in this area allowing the Bears to attract key contributors through the free agent market each off-season of his tenure.

The signing of seven-time Pro Bowl T Orlando Pace highlighted a 2009 offseason which also saw the Bears ink deals with QB Brett Basanez, S Josh Bullocks, G Frank Omiyale, S Glenn Earl and T Kevin Shaffer.

The Bears current roster also bolsters such free agent acquisitions as Anthony Adams (UFA - 2007), Desmond Clark (UFA - 2003) and Roberto Garza (UFA - 2005). Adams, a former second-round pick of San Francisco in 2003, has started 12 of 20 contests played at DT during his two seasons in Chicago. Clark has started 92 of 94 games played at TE as a Bear and leads the team since that time with 222 receptions. Garza has appeared in all 64 contests with 55 starts over the last four seasons, including 48 straight at RG.

Players such as Ruben Brown (LG), Thomas Jones (RB), Ricky Manning, Jr. (CB), Fred Miller (RT), Muhsin Muhammad (WR) and John Tait (LT) were also free agent pick-ups that started for the NFC Champion Bears in 2006.

Free agency has not been the only means used to add talent under Angelo. Adewale Ogunleye (DE) was acquired via trade in 2004 and his 35.5 sacks since that time leads the team. Chicago acquired Brendon Ayanbadejo, who was a Pro Bowl special teams player during the Bears Super Bowl run in 2006, in a trade as well. Angelo's personnel department has found key contributors that were waived by other teams such as Pro Bowler Robbie Gould (K, 2005), Hunter Hillenmeyer (LB, 2003) and Jason McKie (FB, 2003). Angelo has also guided the Bears to success in acquiring talent outside of the NFL, signing Rashied Davis (WR) out of the Arena Football League in 2005.

Continuity in the Bears football operations was solidified in the 2004 off-season when Angelo hired Lovie Smith to be the 13th head coach in Chicago Bears history. Angelo and Smith spent five years (1996-2000) together in Tampa Bay, helping build a team that went on to capture a Super Bowl championship in 2002. Angelo created long-term stability for the Bears during the 2007 offseason when he signed Smith to a contract extension through 2011.

In his first season leading the Bears football staff, Angelo helped guide the team to its first division title in 11 years. He was handed the reins of the Chicago Bears football operations on June 12, 2001 as the team's first general manager since 1986 (Jerry Vainisi). Angelo has 40 years of football experience, including 20 as a NFL scout and 22 in the NFC North Division (includes 15 years in former NFC Central Division). He oversees the Bears entire football staff including football operations, personnel and coaching along with all decisions regarding the draft, free agency, trades and the salary cap.

Angelo accepted his current post after spending 14 years overseeing Tampa Bay's scouting department as the Buccaneers' Director of Player Personnel. In Tampa, Angelo helped turn a team that averaged under five wins a season in its first 21 years of existence into a perennial playoff contender, as the Buccaneers averaged almost 10 wins over his last four years with three playoff berths and one NFC Championship appearance (1999). The Youngstown, Ohio, native was a key member in carrying out the philosophy of Tampa's rebuilding process. He contributed to drafting nine Pro Bowlers with the Bucs and was pivotal in recruiting free agents Hardy Nickerson, Jeff Christy and Randall McDaniel, all of whom made trips to Hawaii donning a Bucs uniform. Angelo had a hand in Tampa's 32 Pro Bowl appearances by 14 different players from 1989 to 2000.

Prior to joining Tampa Bay in 1987, Angelo spent five seasons (1982-86) as a regional scout for the New York Giants, including their Super Bowl XXI campaign. He spent 1981 in the Canadian Football League as the Calgary Stampeders linebackers coach. Angelo broke into the NFL as a scout for the Dallas Cowboys in 1980. After playing defensive tackle for three years (1968-70) at Miami of Ohio for coaches Bo Schembechler and Bill Mallory, Angelo graduated with a bachelor's degree in social sciences and a master's in secondary administration while working as a graduate assistant at the university in 1971. He went on to coach eight more years in the collegiate ranks beginning at Colorado State as a part-time defensive line coach (1972) and ending with a five-year stint as the D-line coach at Syracuse (1975-79). In 1973 and 1974, he served as the defensive line coach and recruiting coordinator for the University of Tampa before the Spartans cut the football program.

Jerry and his wife, Bernie, have two daughters, Leisa, who is married to Brad Rice, and Sutton.