Bob O’Billovich officially became the Tiger-Cats general manager on December 5, 2007, bringing over three decades of CFL experience as a player, administrator, scout, assistant coach, head coach and general manager to Hamilton.

His CFL career began when he signed with the Ottawa Rough Riders in 1963 and spent five seasons playing defensive back.  O’Billovich later joined the coaching ranks in 1974 when he became a guest coach with the Rough Riders, eventually becoming an assistant in 1976, when he helped Ottawa with their last Grey Cup.

In 1982, O’Billovich was named head coach of the Toronto Argonauts, a position he would hold for eight seasons. During his stint with the Argos, he compiled the most wins in Argos history (89), two CFL Coach of the Year awards (1982, 1987), five East division titles and three Grey Cup appearances.

He joined the BC Lions in 1990 as vice president of football operations, general manager and head coach, remaining in that position until 1992. In 1993, Bob returned to the Argos to take over the roles of general manager and head coach. He surrendered his head coaching duties at the end of the 1994 season to focus his energy on player recruitment before taking over as head coach again midway through the following season.

O’Billovich’s next career stop would see him land in Saskatchewan as the Roughriders director of player personnel for two seasons before joining the Calgary Stampeders as assistant general manager and director of player personnel for three seasons, including their 2002 Grey Cup championship campaign.   

Before joining the Black and Gold, O’Billovich served as the B.C. Lions’ Director of Player Personnel, a role he held from 2003 until his appointment as Ticats general manager.

Bob was an outstanding athlete at the University of Montana and was the only varsity athlete to earn three varsity letters in football, basketball and baseball, serving as a captain in all three sports. He was voted the school’s Athlete of the Decade between the years 1960 and 1970 and was inducted into the Grizzly Hall of Fame in 1993.

Bob and his wife Judy have three children, Tracy, Jodi and Coy.