Ray Evrard

Raymond E. Evrard (September 20, 1895 – March 21, 1974) was an attorney and the second president of the Green Bay Football Corporation, the non-profit organization that owns the Green Bay Packers (now known as Green Bay Packers, Inc.). In addition to his role as Packers president for one year, Evrard also served on the Packers board of directors and was the team's lawyer until 1929. Evrard was also elected for three terms as district attorney of Brown County, Wisconsin, serving from 1922 to 1929. He continued practicing law until the 1970s. Evrard played an important, yet often overlooked role in helping to organize the Packers during the team's early years through his various leadership roles. Evrard died on March 21, 1974.

Early life Evrard was born on September 20, 1895, in Green Bay, Wisconsin, to Joseph and Mary Evrard. His family's farm, which was established in 1874 by his grandmother Desire Evrard, was located on the current site of St. Mary's Hospital Medical Center on the west side of Green Bay. He was an alumnus of Green Bay West High School and enrolled at Marquette University at the age of 17.

Legal career At the age of 21, Evrard became the youngest lawyer in Wisconsin at the time. He went to work for the law firm of Sheridan, Evans and Merrill, which would eventually be renamed to Sheridan and Evrard. He also was a political lobbyist, most notably for the Wisconsin fishing industry on Lake Superior and Lake Michigan.

Green Bay Packers Evrard was a local Green Bay civic leader and sports fan who has been identified as one of the key contributors to the development of the Green Bay Packers franchise, especially when it came to fundraising. although he had also a member of the board of directors throughout the early 1920s

Under Evrard's leadership as president, the Packers went 6–4–3 during the 1928 season, earning a fourth-place finish in the National Football League standings. He stepped down after the 1928 season and was succeeded as president by Dr. W. Webber Kelly. Although often overlooked, Evrard's contributions as a team executive were significant to the early development of the Green Bay Packers.

Personal life Evrard's brother Francis was his legal partner for many years and served on the Brown County Board of Supervisors from 1938 to 1950 representing the Green Bay area. His other sister Alma lived on and maintained the family farm for her entire life.

Evrard married Margaret Grasser and had two children: John R. Evrard and Emily Culligan . Evrard was an active Catholic, serving in the local Knights of Columbus Council 617 He suffered a number of heart attacks in the early 1970s that limited his mobility. He died on March 21, 1974.