Board Member Roger Bettis' Game for Life

Pro Football Hall of Fame Board of Trustees' member Roger Bettis, who serves as Treasurer, has been leading the business at the Hall for two decades. When he walks through the museum to the meeting rooms, he passes by the countless artifacts that are displayed for hundreds of thousands of fans to see each year. To Bettis, those artifacts represent more than just a record or milestone. They represent the same values that helped him succeed in life.
 
Bettis starred at quarterback for Minerva (Ohio) High School where he became the first player to throw for more than 1,000 yards in a season. He was invited to play in The Big 33 All-Star football game, which pits the best high school players from Ohio and Pennsylvania against each other. That year happened to feature Gold Jacket Joe Montana playing quarterback for the opposing team.  
 
College coaches quickly discovered Bettis’ ability at quarterback. He ultimately signed a letter of intent to play football for legendary coach Bo Schembechler at the University of Michigan. He never started for the school, but Bettis’ experiences with the Wolverines was something he will never forget.
 
“My experiences there were great,” he told The (Canton) Repository recently. “I can’t put a value on how important football has been in my life. The disciplines that you practice as an athlete carry over ... the networking opportunities that you come across, some of them you never come across again. But some they just come about and you have to be ready to take advantage.
 
The Wolverines were a combined 38-4-2 in his four seasons in Ann Arbor. Bettis’ teams played in two Rose Bowls and an Orange Bowl and were ranked nationally number one during his senior season.
 
After graduation, Bettis worked a year for the Ford company and then launched his own trucking business, Green Lines Transportation.
 
Read feature on how Bettis’ time playing football taught him the lessons needed to succeed in business>>>