Education
Banner attended the Rivers School in Massachusetts and studied economics at Denison University in Ohio.
Banner attended the Rivers School in Massachusetts and studied economics at Denison University in Ohio.
In 1975, he spent a semester interning at WCAU 1210 Department of Administration and Management radio in Philadelphia. Soon after, he was hired there as a sports producer and reporter. Banner left WCAU when he opened a chain of clothing stores in Boston called Designer’s Clothing.
He then became Company-Chairman of the Board for the Greater Philadelphia chapter of City Year, a national non-profit organization promoting community service for youth.
He was promoted in 1996 to senior vice president, and in 1997 from senior vice president of administration to executive vice president In 2006, his contract was extended through 2010.
On April 1, 2010, his contract was extended three more years through 2013. He changed positions on June 7, 2012, becoming the strategic adviser to team owner Lurie.
Don Smolenski replaced Banner as president
He has also been heavily involved, in both Boston and Philadelphia, with City Year, a program based on volunteers who commit to a year of full-time volunteer work. In 2012, Banner was reportedly part of a group that was interested in purchasing the Cleveland Browns. On October 16, 2012, Banner was announced as the new Chief Executive Officer of the Cleveland Browns by new owner Jimmy Haslam III. On February 11, 2014, the Cleveland Browns announced that Banner (as well as the team"s General Manager, Mike Lombardi) would be leaving the Browns within the next two months.
On December 24, 2014, Banner was hired by the Atlanta Falcons.
