Pittsburgh Government Relations Attorney and Steelers President Art Rooney II Featured in Tribune-Review Article

Arthur J. Rooney, II, counsel in the State Government Relations Section of Buchanan Ingersoll & Rooney's Pittsburgh office, was the subject of a July 5, 2009, Pittsburgh Tribune-Review article titled, "Art II key Rooney in Steelers' era of change." The article, which ran on a number of websites including SportsIllustrated.com and FoxSports.com as well as was published in the July 5, 2009, edition of the Valley News Dispatch, discussed Rooney's role with the Steelers as president, general counsel and a member of the Board of Directors. It also discussed what his father Dan Rooney's departure to become U.S. ambassador to Ireland will mean for him and the team.

According to the article, "Friends and colleagues describe Arthur J. Rooney II as a mild-mannered, modest man who won't change much about the Steelers as he takes over a helm previously held by his father and grandfather, both NFL Hall of Famers."

"I don't think that we plan on making any changes, you know? We think that the business philosophy and the business model we've set up are working," Rooney told the Trib. "So we'll try not to make too many changes. The key is to bring in good people at every level, and that's what we'll try to do."

As noted in the article, "Those who know Art II describe him as an efficient behind-the-scenes deal maker who thinks as a businessman, fights like a lawyer and has honed himself over the past decade to run the family's most famous business. … NFL executives voted Art II their 'Executive of the Year' in 2005 following the Steelers' Super Bowl run. He already had been serving as president of the club for the previous two years and had long been the team's general counsel — positions he plans to retain."

"You can't find one man or woman in the room that doesn't respect Art Rooney," said Colts' owner Jim Irsay, 50. "He's a lot like Dan. Football is a huge part of it all. God, family and football. That's what he's about."

Buchanan's CEO Jack Barbour weighed in on Rooney's role at both the firm and on the field. He told the paper that at the firm, Rooney has been enmeshed mostly in Steelers legal work for a decade, which won't really change. As far as Rooney replacing his dad on the field, Barbour said, "Dan is a living legend — he can't be replaced. But the team will be in the best hands to run it."

Barbour went on to say that Rooney will continue to balance long hours toiling for the team with his role as a doting husband to Greta, 48, their three daughters and a son who is Dartmouth's sophomore quarterback.

When asked about Rooney, cornerback Ike Taylor described him as a "cool cat."

Rooney's uncle Art Rooney Jr. and Barbour think the fact that Rooney is a "cool cat" under pressure actually will help him bridge a divide in the NFL. "They see him as a transitional figure who will unite the 21st century business moguls who now buy football teams with the dynastic families who founded the NFL. In microcosm, they say that also will be his job as an owner who plans to hold jointly with his father only 30 percent of the club's shares," noted the article.

"The big thing is that there's never been an outside owner," said Art Rooney Jr. "Now, you're going to have to be accountable to people who aren't in the family. Art will bring in his background in the law. He's used to dealing with people like that, in that kind of environment."