The University of Missouri announced Laird Veatch as its new athletic director on Tuesday, nine weeks after Desireé Reed-Francois left for the same position at the University of Arizona.
Veatch, who previously worked at MU from 1997-2010, has been the athletic director at the University of Memphis since 2019. He will return to MU on May 1 and will be introduced on campus later this week.
The UM Board of Curators will meet Wednesday to approve Veatch’s five-year contract, which was first reported by ESPN’s Pete Thamel. Veatch’s salary has not been disclosed.
Veatch has experience in fundraising, which MU leadership emphasized was a priority in the next athletic director. He oversaw a $220 million renovation of the football stadium at Memphis and secured a five-year, $25 million Name, Image and Likeness deal with FedEx.
“Laird Veatch’s energy and leadership skills will serve him well in his new position as director of athletics at Missouri,” said Greg Sankey, commissioner of the Southeastern Conference. “His previous experience at Missouri provides him with insight into the Mizzou campus, and he will also benefit from his experience in the SEC as a senior member of the Florida staff.”
