‘IT JUST WAS A NATURAL FIT’
Economic development leader Andrea Zopp adds a new twist to her roster: The Chicago Bears
The job announcement came as a bit of a surprise. Andrea “Andy” Zopp has been the CEO of World Business Chicago, the crux of the city’s economic development arm. She has served as deputy mayor of Chicago under Rahm Emanuel, heading up neighborhood economic development. And with a career trajectory that includes executive positions at Sara Lee, Exelon, the Chicago Urban League and Cleveland Avenue (a venture capital firm), the former county and federal prosecutor has put in the work in a cross section of fields to effect change in Chicago.
But now Zopp is joining the Chicago Bears organization. Working on a part-time basis as senior adviser for legal and business affairs, she’s set to parlay her experience to consult for the team at a time when Bears President and CEO Kevin Warren envisions construction of a closed-roof stadium complex south of Soldier Field that will create jobs and opportunities. In March, the Bears announced plans to contribute $2 billion to a publicly owned stadium at the museum campus site and are crafting a more formal presentation.
Zopp said the opportunity to help Warren and the Bears was one she couldn’t pass up, especially because she sees a new stadium as something that could improve the city. She says Warren is building an organization for the future, on the field and off, and she wants to help make that a reality.
“I bring a lot of leadership experience, government insight that I think is important as you’re trying to make those changes,” Zopp said. “I’ve spent a lot of my career working to help grow the city and to help create, expand economic opportunity. … I think this stadium will help make that happen. That was the draw for me to be a part of what I think is going to be spectacular for the city and do it in a way that is equitable, that has an impact on the broader community — taking this economic opportunity and sharing it with people across the city so it’s not just for one group of people; it’s for everyone.”
Zopp joins the legal team with Krista Whitaker, the Bears’ new executive vice president of legal and business affairs and chief legal officer. Whitaker, a woman of color, comes to the Midwest from the Miami Heat, joining the team at a time when Warren is making it a point to change the look of the Bears’ front office.
“It means a lot to start changing the culture and the narrative of what front offices look like,” Whitaker said. “I’m super excited to be able to be part of the growth that the Bears are undergoing, the stadium project, and the new innovation and energy that’s coming into the organization.”
The Tribune spoke with Zopp about adding sports to her career roster. The following conversation has been edited for length and clarity.
Q: How do you know when it’s time to take on a new challenge, when to step away from another one?
A: For me, it’s really about timing. I’ve been at Cleveland Avenue for three years. We launched a fund in early 2021. It’s going really well. We have 24 companies in that fund, we are thinking about what’s next and I’m going to help make that happen. And so it’s a perfect time to add an additional opportunity, which will create opportunity with the Chicago Bears, will help create opportunities for entrepreneurs here. For me, it aligns very much with what I’m doing now. It just was a natural fit. And that’s the thing, as long as it’s aligned with my vision, my passion, it makes sense for me.
Q: You’ve been at all these tables and in the room where it happens for many things in Chicagoland. Do you think we’ve gotten better as a city, as a region, in the process?
A: Yeah, I am a Chicago cheerleader. I think this is one of the greatest cities in the world, not just the country. We have so much to offer. I think we continue to fight external perceptions, but consistently when people get to experience Chicago, they’re blown away. What we have to do is to make sure to overcome some of the negative perceptions with the reality of what makes Chicago great. We have a real opportunity to do that here this summer with the Democratic National Convention and with NASCAR coming back and some of the other things that will be happening. Do we have a lot of work to do? Absolutely. We’re still recovering from COVID. But this is an amazing city. It’s an incredible place to live and has so many things to offer and we’re continuing to improve. But I think for us, the big thing is making sure that our reality becomes our perception as opposed to the perception that is not really, fully correct.
Q: We’re living in a post affirmative action world now, one where diversity, equity and inclusion positions that came to fruition after 2020 are now shrinking or leaving altogether. How do we keep the momentum going instead of backsliding?
A: My view when you’re thinking about equity, particularly when it comes to economic opportunity, is you have to be intentional. If you are intentional about ensuring that access to that opportunity will be brought to as broad a group as possible and people of color, Black people, brown people will compete. We compete well. The challenge has been getting them fair access to the opportunity. The fact is we are a diverse city. And so what I’ve been trying to do, what I think the Bears under Kevin Warren
are trying to do, is ensure that when there is economic opportunity and activity happening, that access to that opportunity is equitable, that it’s not just a few or the people who’ve always gotten it, but that it’s given to a broader set.
Q: In the past few months, Black female leadership has been in the spotlight as well as the need for more support. Since you have been a leader in Chicago, what are your thoughts on that?
A: Black women don’t want to be stereotyped any more than anybody else. We don’t want to be stereotyped as angry or aggressive. What we want is to be given a chance and to show what we can accomplish, and when that happens to recognize that we brought something to the table. We are as diverse as any other group. Don’t judge us just because we walked in the room. Give us a chance to show what we’re bringing when we walk in the room, and judge us based on that. Not on your perceptions.
Q: What do you consider your legacy in Chicago?
A: I want my legacy to be not just someone who loved the city, but who also worked hard to contribute to the city because I think that’s what we all have to do. We all have to do that in our own way. I want to be remembered as someone who worked hard to help make the world that I inhabit better for others, both here and now, and for those who are coming.