The Gettleman file

Name: Dave Gettleman

Age: 61

Education: Bachelor’s degree from Springfield (Mass.) College in 1972; master’s degree in physical education from Southern Connecticut State in 1978; master’s degree in sports administration from St. Thomas (Fla.) University in 1986.

Coaching experience: Head coach of Spackenkill High School in Poughkeepsie, N.Y., from 1973-78 and 1980-81. Head coach of Kingston (N.Y.) High School from 1984-1986.

Scouting experience: Scouting intern for Buffalo Bills in 1986. Scout for Bills in 1987. Bills scout representative for BLESTO 1988-1993. Scout for Denver Broncos from 1994-98. Scout for New York Giants in 1998. Pro Personnel Director for Giants from 1999-2012. Senior Pro Personnel Analyst for Giants in 2012.

Playoff experience: Associated with 13 playoff teams, six Super Bowl teams and three winners (1997 Broncos, 2007 Giants, 2011 Giants).

Family: Wife, Joanne, and three children, Aaron, Sam and Ana Jane. Family lives in North Haledon, N.J.

Top 3 immediate challenges

Getting to know Ron Rivera: Last week, team owner/founder Jerry Richardson ensured his new GM wouldn’t be able to bring in his own guy for 2013 when he kept Ron Rivera as the head coach for his third season. That means Gettleman and Rivera will need to get on the same page quickly in terms player personnel and staff changes if the team wants its best chance at succeeding and securing a winning record for the first time since 2008.

The salary cap: With the Panthers nearly $16 million over the cap, Gettleman will have a lot of cleaning up to do before the Panthers enter training camp. Only three other NFL teams are over the cap more than Carolina and tough decisions will certainly have to be made. Linebacker Jon Beason, running back DeAngelo Williams and cornerback Chris Gamble are three of the most logical choices to have their contracts restructured or sent elsewhere.

Draft preparation: The Panthers will have the No. 14 pick in this year’s draft. Former GM Marty Hurney hit home runs with his final two first-round picks in quarterback Cam Newton and linebacker Luke Kuechly, but there are no standout skill-position players in this year’s draft. All eyes will be on Gettleman come April when he makes his first selection as a GM.

Draft history

As the pro personnel director of the Giants for more than a decade, Gettleman had a large role in preparing the team for the draft each year. New York has been lauded for getting great talent outside of the first two rounds in recent years. Here are some of their best and worst picks while Gettleman was in the front office.

Best

2005: Round 3 DE Justin Tuck

2005: Round 4 RB Brandon Jacobs

2007: Round 7 RB Ahmad Bradshaw

2009: Round 1 WR Hakeem Nicks

Busts

2000: Round 1 RB Ron Dayne

2003: Round 1 DT William Joseph

2006: Round 2 WR Sinorice Moss

2011: Round 2 DT Marvin Austin

Previous Carolina Panthers GMs

Mike McCormack 1993-1994: McCormack worked with Jerry Richardson as a consultant in the late 1980s when Richardson began his push to bring an NFL franchise to Charlotte. He briefly served as general manager of the new franchise, which had yet to play a game, before being promoted to club president.

Bill Polian 1994-1997: Polian came to Carolina after taking the Buffalo Bills to four consecutive Super Bowls. In Carolina’s second year, the Panthers went to the NFC Championship Game. After he left for the Colts in 1997, the Panthers operated without a permanent GM for 1998.

George Seifert 1999-2001: The two-time Super Bowl-winning coach of the 49ers was the de facto GM while also serving as the team’s coach for three years. Marty Hurney, then director of football operations, oversaw the salary cap while Seifert had control over the personnel. Seifert and the Panthers parted ways after his third year when the team went a franchise-worst 1-15.

Marty Hurney 2002-2012: Hurney was at the helm for the Panthers’ lone Super Bowl trip, as well as two NFC Championship games and three playoff appearances. His final three seasons were marred by poor middle-to-late round draft choices and, at the time of his firing in October, the worst record of any NFL team since 2010.

Brandon Beane 2012-2013: Beane, 36, served as GM in an interim capacity following Hurney’s dismissal. He had been the director of football operations before moving into the interim role. Beane has been with the Panthers organization since graduating from UNC-Wilmington in 1998.