first interactions with the Packers developed because of his friendship with Andrew B. Turnbull, the owner of the Green Bay Press-Gazette and the first president of the Packers. After the Packers almost went bankrupt in 1922, Joannes, along with Turnbull and other local Green Bay businessmen, organized the Green Bay Football Corporation. The corporation was a publicly owned, non-profit that was created after a stock sale that sold 1,000 shares in 1923. Joannes was elected to the first executive committee and board of directors of the corporation, where he would serve as secretary and treasurer for seven years. In 1930, Joannes was elected as the president of the corporation, a role he held for 17 years—at the time the longest tenure of any Packers president. As president, Joannes led the Packers through multiple financially challenging times. In the first years of his presidency, the Packers lost a lawsuit initiated by a fan who fell out of the stands at City Stadium. The payout from the lawsuit, as well as the ongoing Great Depression, brought the corporation into insolvency. NFL owners transferred the franchise into Joannes' name in 1933. After a $6,000 loan from Joannes, the corporation was reorganized in 1935 into its current form, now known as Green Bay Packers, Inc. This reorganization was supported by another stock sale that was led by Joannes in 1935 that raised $15,000 and maintained the publicly owned, non-profit status of the Packers. During his time as president, the Packers won 133 games, were crowned NFL Champions five times, and only suffered one season with a losing record. Joannes also helped lead the team during World War II, when multiple NFL players were called into service and were unable to compete. Joannes retired as president and from the executive committee in 1947 to focus on his grocery business. He was reelected to the executive committee in 1950 where he helped organize the third stock sale after the departure of co-founder Curly Lambeau. This stock sale raised over $100,000 and helped keep the team in the Green Bay. He served on the executive committee for nine more years, also holding the titles of chairman of the board from 1950 to 1953 and vice president from 1953 to 1959. He was also given the title director emeritus from 1980 to 1982. Personal life Joannes married Helen Gittins of DePere, Wisconsin on June 17, 1920. The marriage