This Sunday, football fans around the country will be cheering on two teams that have come to be known for their colors, their devoted fans, and their long history in the NFL. Of course, there’s at least one other thing the teams are also known for: their names, which are linked to proud professions and industries unique to each region.
The Green Bay Packers were named for the meat packing company that first sponsored the team in 1919 with $250. The Pittsburgh Steelers, founded in 1933, were named for the steel industry that was the city’s pride throughout much of the 1800s and 1900s.
Today, we’re joined by a real Green Bay packer and a real Pittsburgh steeler, to talk about their professions and their football teams as they enter the Super Bowl. Michelle Geiss is an office manager, occasional meat packer, and wife of Andy Geiss, third generation family owner of Geiss Meat Service in Merrill, Wis., which is just two hours from Green Bay.
Don Gilmore is president of Steelsmith, Inc. in Pittsburgh. His family has worked in steel for several generations.