Being the Best You Can Be

Jerry Markbreit is legendary for making crucial decisions in both business and in sports. As a trade and barter manager for 3M, Jerry Markbreit daily negotiated and traded millions of dollars of advertising, media time, and materials with businesses throughout the world. That position, combined with his distinctive experience as one of only sixteen National Football League referees, has given him the unique background to become a remarkable and meaningful speaker.

From the 1996 Notre Dame/Michigan State National Championship Game, to the legendary Ohio State/Michigan games of the early 1970's, Jerry Markbreit has been a symbol of college football. In 1976, Jerry Markbreit became an NFL line judge, and in 1977 he was promoted to NFL referee. His post-season play-off assignments as head referee include a record four Super Bowls (Super Bowl 17, 21, 26, and 29) plus eight Championship games. Jerry Markbreit is the author of three books: The Armchair Referee, Born to Referee, and Last Call, Memoirs of an NFL Referee. In addition, Jerry Markbreit wrote a weekly football column for the Chicago Sun Times for several years.

Jerry Markbreit retired from the 3M Company after thirty-eight years. The 1998 season was Jerry Markbreit's twenty-third and last year in the NFL, as well as being his forty-third consecutive season of football officiating. For the 1999 and 2000 seasons, he served as one of only sixteen replay officials covering the NFL. Beginning with the 2001 season, Jerry Markbreit was appointed head trainer for NFL referees. He currently writes an online sports column for the Chicago Tribune.