Art Rooney

Arthur Joseph Rooney, Sr. (January 27, 1901 – August 25, 1988), often referred to as "The Chief", was the founding owner of the Pittsburgh Steelers, an American football franchise in the National Football League (NFL), from 1933 until his death. Rooney was also a member of the NFL Hall of Fame, an Olympic qualifying boxer, and part or whole owner in several track sport venues and Pittsburgh area pro-teams. He was the first president of the Pittsburgh Steelers from 1933 to 1974, and the first chairman of the team from 1933 to 1988.

Family history

Rooney's great-grandparents, James and Mary Rooney, were Irish Catholics who immigrated from Newry in County Down, Ireland to Canada during the Irish potato famine in the 1840s. While living in Montreal, the Rooneys had a son, Arthur (who would become Art Rooney's grandfather). James and Mary later moved to Ebbw Vale, Wales, where the iron industry was flourishing, taking their son Arthur, then 21, with them. This Arthur Rooney married Catherine Regan (who was also Irish Catholic), in Wales, and they had a son, Dan. Two years after Dan Rooney was born, the family moved back to Canada and eventually ended up in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania in 1884. Along the way the family grew to include nine children of which Dan was the second.

Art Rooney II

Arthur Joseph "Art" Rooney II (born September 14, 1952) is president and co-owner of the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League.

He is the oldest of nine children of Steelers’ chairman, Dan Rooney, and Patricia Rooney, and he is the grandson of Steelers’ founder “The Chief,” Art Rooney, Sr.

Rooney was named team president in May 2003. Prior to that, he served as vice president and general counsel of the Steelers, and has served on the board of directors of the Steelers since 1989.

He currently serves as chairman of the NFL’s Stadium Committee, and serves on numerous NFL boards, including the Legislative Committee, the Management Council Executive Committee, the International Committee and the Digital Media Committee.

Rooney graduated from the University of Pittsburgh in 1978 with a B.A. in Political Science. He then attended Duquesne University’s School of Law, where he earned his law degree in 1982.

He currently holds an Of Counsel position with the law firm Buchanan Ingersoll & Rooney.