Bulls name Gar Forman General Manager
May 21, 2009 – The Chicago Bulls today named Gar Forman the team’s General Manager.
A member of the Bulls’ front office for the last 11 seasons, Forman came to the Bulls as a Scout prior to the 1998-99 season. Since then, he has overseen a wide array of responsibilities within the Bulls Basketball Operations Department, most recently as the team’s Director of Player Personnel, a post he has held for the last five seasons.
According to Bulls Chairman Jerry Reinsdorf, “The promotion of Gar Forman to General Manager of the Chicago Bulls publicly formalizes a successful formula that has been evolving for some time. Over that time, Gar has been assuming more and more of the daily GM duties, freeing John Paxson to spend more of his time and energies on talent evaluation, and on long-term, strategic planning for the organization. As winning in the NBA becomes more complex, team building in the front office is as important as it is on the court. The strong finish by this young Bulls team, coupled with its valiant efforts during one of the best playoff series in NBA history, places the franchise at an important juncture. The front office tandem of Paxson and Forman will continue to be charged with preparing us for an even brighter future. I am excited at their prospects. I think our fans are, too.”
“I am very honored to be named General Manager of the Chicago Bulls. I would like to thank Jerry Reinsdorf for allowing me to evolve and present me with such a great opportunity,” said Forman. “During my 11 years with the Bulls, I have had the chance to progress professionally and I am eager to expand into this new role. I look forward to continue working with John Paxson on the challenge of building the Chicago Bulls and elevating the Bulls into the NBA’s upper echelon of teams.”
Prior to being named General Manager, Forman oversaw the coordination of the Bulls amateur and professional scouting operations. He also implemented the team’s pro-player personnel scouting plan and assisted Bulls Executive Vice President of Basketball Operations John Paxson in the evaluation of free agents and prospective trade acquisitions.
“Over the past six years, Gar Forman has been growing into a more prominent role within the Bulls organization,” said Paxson. “With his help, we have improved the way we conduct business within our Basketball Operations Department, and this promotion is a reflection of his hard work, commitment and contributions to the organization. For Gar, this is long overdue and well deserved.”
Prior to joining the Bulls, Forman was a coach and recruiting coordinator at the collegiate level for 17 seasons with stops at his alma mater Utah State (1981-82), College of the Desert (1982-85), New Mexico State (1985-87, 1988-94), Cal Poly Pomona (1987-88) and Iowa State (1994-98).