The Green Bay Packers Hall of Fame Inc. will recognize three special award winners at this year's Packers Hall of Fame Induction Banquet, set for Thursday, Aug. 28, in the Lambeau Field Atrium.
In addition to inducting Packers President and CEO Mark Murphy into the Hall of Fame following his retirement in July, the event will also pay special tribute to the recipients of the Bob Harlan Leadership Award, presented by Miller Lite; the Bart and Cherry Starr Recognition Award, presented by Nicolet National Bank; and the Bud Lea Media Award.
The Bob Harlan Leadership Award is presented in honor of former Green Bay Packers President/CEO and Packers Hall of Famer Bob Harlan, who demonstrated exceptional and extraordinary leadership throughout his career with the Packers. Recipients demonstrate exceptional leadership qualities, over and above the call of duty during or after their career or association with the Packers. Above all, they must have served with the integrity, character and determination emblematic of Harlan.
This year's Bob Harlan Leadership Award recipient is Pepper Burruss, who spent 26 seasons of his 42-year NFL career with the Packers. After 16 seasons as an assistant athletic trainer for the New York Jets, in 1992, Burruss was tapped by former Packers general manager Ron Wolf to fill the head athletic trainer opening in Green Bay, a position he would hold for 22 seasons. Burruss' dedication to innovation was felt immediately, modernizing the Packers' medical operation upon arrival. Throughout his career, he worked diligently to diagnose, treat and prevent injuries, in addition to being at the forefront of league initiatives involving player care and safety through his service on several committees. Before retiring in 2019, Burruss spent his final four years with the Packers serving as the organization's director of sports medicine administration. Burruss was named the NFL Physicians Society's Outstanding NFL Athletic Trainer in 2012, and in June, he will be recognized as a 2025 Pro Football Hall of Fame Award of Excellence recipient.
The Bart and Cherry Starr Recognition Award recognizes a person who has exemplified outstanding character and leadership in their field of expertise, while consistently demonstrating a personal conviction and commitment to the Green Bay Packers.
This year's Bart and Cherry Starr Recognition Award recipient is Mark Wagner, the steadfast leader of the Packers Ticket Office for four decades. A Door County native, Wagner joined the Packers in 1977 as an assistant in the Ticket Office. In 1979, he took over as the Packers' director of ticket operations, a position he held until his retirement in 2017. Throughout his tenure, Wagner oversaw several key initiatives, including the implementation of Gold package tickets, the transition to online databases, the execution of enhanced security protocols to reduce counterfeit tickets and more, all while providing excellent customer service to the organization's loyal season ticket holders. Under Wagner's leadership, the Packers' season ticket waiting list grew by more than 120,000 names.
The Bud Lea Media Award recognizes television and radio broadcasters, producers and technologists, print and digital journalists and authors who have made a major contribution to narrating the history of the Green Bay Packers, and have displayed character, conviction and fairness in their coverage of the team.
This year's Bud Lea Media Award recipient is the late Ted Moore, a Wisconsin broadcast legend whose voice became synonymous with the Packers' greatness throughout the 1960s. Serving as the voice of the Green Bay Packers from 1960-69, Moore delivered play-by-play for the Packers-Giants 1962 NFL Championship game on NBC and called Super Bowls I and II on the Packers Radio Network in 1966 and 1967. His 48-year career also included stints with numerous radio and television stations across Wisconsin and 23 years as the basketball play-by-play voice of the Wisconsin Badgers.
The Green Bay Packers Hall of Fame Inc. is a nonprofit corporation independent of the Green Bay Packers that guides the Hall as a historic national sports venue and educational resource to the Green Bay community and the state of Wisconsin. The Hall raises funds through its annual Induction Banquet, Golf Classic and other events to preserve the history of the Green Bay Packers and expand its archives. Historic memorabilia donated by individuals to the Hall may qualify as tax-deductible gifts.
Originally established in 1967 as a temporary display in the concourse of the Brown County Veterans Memorial Arena, the Packers Hall of Fame moved into its own facility in 1976 near Lambeau Field. In 2003, it was relocated to the lower level of the Lambeau Field Atrium. After renovations beginning in 2013, it reopened in August of 2015, and is now located on the main floor of the Atrium across from 1919 Kitchen & Tap. Additional information including tour details can be found online at packershofandtours.com.
