Carmen Policy

Carmen Policy (born January 26, 1943 in Youngstown, Ohio) is an attorney and American football executive who is best known for his front office work for the San Francisco 49ers during the 1980s and 1990s. Policy, a native of Youngstown, Ohio, joined the San Francisco 49ers in 1983 as vice president and counsel. In 1991, he became president and chief executive officer of the San Francisco 49ers and played a key role in the 49ers Super Bowl victories in 1982, 1985, 1989, 1990 and 1995.

In 1994 he was named the National Football League Executive of the Year by "The Sporting News" and "Pro Football Weekly", as voted on by NFL owners and executives, despite the fact the 49ers were later shown to have cheated the salary cap in that 1994 championship season. "The Sporting News" and "GQ" also named him one of the Most Influential People in Professional Sports.

He would later become involved with the current incarnation of the Cleveland Browns. While serving as President & CEO of the Browns, Policy served as a member of the NFL Business Ventures Committee as well as the Super Bowl Advisory Committee and the Los Angeles Market Advisory Group. He also served as a member of the NFL Finance Committee.

Policy graduated in 1963 from Youngstown State University. He earned his Juris Doctorate Degree from Georgetown University Law Center in 1966. While practicing law, he was listed in the industry publication "The Best Lawyers in America". Policy and his wife, Gail, designed and endowed the Carmen and Gail Policy Clinical Fellowship at the Georgetown University Law Center, which promotes advocacy of civil rights issues.

Policy stepped down as president and chief executive officer of the Cleveland Browns on May 1, 2004, after five years. [http://www.sfweekly.com/issues/1999-10-13/feature2_3.html] His son, Ed Policy, is the Deputy Commissioner of the Arena Football League, and is widely speculated to be the frontrunner to replace current commissioner David Baker when he decides to step down.