The Repository | CantonRep.
com | Sunday, June 26, 2016M3
THE HALL OF FAMES
RESIDENT TORNADO
By B.J. Lisko
Repository staff writer
Pro Football Hall of Fame
President David Baker
chuckled when asked about
working with his colleague
George Veras.
Its like trying to ride
a tornado Im crawling
out of bed, and hes already
walked 18 holes on the golf
course! Baker said with a
smile before taking a more
serious tone. Excellence
over a long period of time is
caring about something more
than yourself. You believe
in it so much that you can
be mission-driven and you
can drag a lot of other good
people with you.
George Veras is abso-
lutely that kind of guy.
Veras has served as the
Halls executive vice presi-
dent, executive producer
and chief revenue officer the
last two years. Prior to that,
he worked for Hall of Fame
Enterprises in 2009. That
was a for-profit business
of the Halls that worked to
market Hall of Famers.
The 10-time Emmy-
winning producer has an
incredibly colorful and
extensive background,
having produced liter-
ally hundreds of television
shows, documentaries and
musical and sporting events
in his lengthy career. Its
easy, albeit time-consum-
ing, to rattle off his rsum,
but beyond his employment
accomplishments Veras was
especially engaged in recall-
ing the story of how he fell in
love with football.
Veras a man of many hats: Executive VP, producer,
chief revenue officer and 10-time Emmy winner
His uncle, Dr. Jim Nicholas,
famously operated on New
York Jets great Joe Namath.
Veras was 11 years old when
Nicholas introduced him to
the game.
He became the unpaid
team physician of the
New York Titans, Veras being surrounded by these
explained. So I actually
went to the Polo Grounds, game.
and I saw Al Dorow play. I
saw Earl Christy. I saw Art
Powell, who caught 100 balls
in a year in front of 10,000
people. I was just enamored
Hall of Fame Village
n Pro Football Hall of Fame
executive vice president, execu-
tive producer and chief revenue
officer George Veras has an
extensive background in televi-
sion and music production and
management. Veras produced
the first-ever NFL pregame
show, The NFL Today, and has
been in charge of numerous doc-
umentaries, including the ESPN
30 for 30 on Jimmy the Greek.
Hes produced several Olym-
pics telecasts, was in charge of
producing all Cleveland Browns
television broadcasts, and also
managed adult contemporary
music star, Yanni. Veras ties
to football stems from his
childhood relationship with his
uncle, Dr. Jim Nicholas (shown
here with Joe Namath). Nicholas
famously operated on the Jets
legend, and also got Veras a job
as Jets ballboy when he just 11
years old.
REPOSITORY ILLUSTRATION
B.J. LISKO
field in 1965.
His connection to foot-
ball started as a boy, and
later Veras worked at CBS
Sports to produce the first-
ever pregame show in NFL
history, The NFL Today.
visigoths, these giants of the Later, from 2004-07, Veras
served as the vice president
Nicholas got Veras a job as of production and broadcast-
a ballboy with the Jets, and ing for the Cleveland Browns
he was at the field when the where he was responsible
Titans became the Jets and for producing and selling
Namath first walked on the all of the teams television
programming.
Football players are
incredible storytellers,
Veras said. They have lived
through their own sort of
sports war, and a lot of them
use the lessons of the game
as a game for life and have
incredible careers afterward.
I found that at the Hall of
Fame with the Gold Jackets.
At CBS Sports, I ended up
working with a lot of future
Gold Jackets. Basically, I was
getting to know these guys
before I got to know these
guys at the Hall. Its been
a continuing of something
I was very blessed to have
when I started as a kid.
Hes produced the Olym-
pics multiple times, directed
TV music specials like Ray
Charles Live, 60s Pop
Reunion, and Doo Wop
50, among others. He cre-
ated the highly successful
marketing program for the
movie My Big Fat Greek
Wedding, and he did
extensive work with Yanni,
producing the instrumental-
ists live albums, television
appearances and tours.
Theres not many days
that I dont call George and
say, Thank you for the privi-
lege of working together,
Baker added. Heres a guy
who has every reason to say,
Why should I grow any-
more? Because Ive done
it all. Hes still growing.
George is bombastic, hes
incredibly quick and signifi-
cantly outspoken, and most
of the time hes the most
intelligent guy in the room.
SEE VERAS, M4