During the 2001 off-season, Phillips hired Jerry Angelo, giving new direction to the Bears football operations. He went on to extend Angelo's contract following the 2003 and 2006 seasons, creating continuity and stability across the front office.

Fans have responded favorably since the Bears training camp returned to the State of Illinois in 2002, turning out in record numbers over the three-week training period on the campus of Olivet Nazarene University in Bourbonnais, IL.

Phillips' leadership was also key in negotiating a new home for the team at Soldier Field. Not only making the club more financially competitive, it provides the best fans in professional sports, the 4th Phase, with a stadium complete with all the amenities they deserve. The Soldier Field game day experience is second to none and the 4th Phase has been critical in creating a great home field advantage for the team as the Bears continue to maintain their proud history and tradition on Chicago's magnificent lakefront.

Among the many local and national awards, the Soldier Field project was selected by the New York Times as one of the nation's best architectural buildings in 2003, and Midwest Construction selected Soldier Field as "Overall Project of the Year."

Phillips served as the Bears' Vice President of Operations for six seasons starting in 1993. Recognized for his many years of handling the Bears' contract negotiations and team finances, Phillips currently serves on two League executive committees, whose mission is to analyze the economic, legal and operational aspects of both the salary cap system and the collective bargaining agreement between the NFL and the NFL Players Association. Phillips also serves as a member of the NFL employee benefits committee.

Before becoming Vice President of Operations, Phillips served as the Director of Finance from 1987 to 1993, handling all player contract negotiations and overseeing the club's business operations. Phillips joined the Bears staff on September 28, 1983, as the team's Controller, a position he held for four years.

Prior to joining the Bears, Phillips was employed as an auditor and tax accountant with the international accounting firm Ernst & Whinney (now Ernst & Young), from 1979-83. He graduated from the University of Notre Dame in 1979 with a degree in business and accounting. Phillips earned a master of marketing and management degree from the Kellogg Graduate School at Northwestern University in 1989.

Phillips was born in Oneida, N.Y., and grew up in Nashua, N.H. He has three sons, Matthew, Max and Frank.