Studying the athletic director position

Briefing: Marshall University

Updated June 12, 2025

The purpose of the HEA Briefing is to give administrators an understanding of the political landscape of the institution and its location to help them improve their political IQ and awareness. This information was collected manually and no AI was used in this HEA briefing.

The HEA Brief includes:

Situational Summary

Marshall University appears to have strong alignment between the Board of Governors and the President as they look for their next Athletic Director. The institution and current AD Christian Spears mutually agreed to not renew his contract to lead the Thundering Herd. CarrSports, who assisted in the search to bring Spears to Marshall in February 2022, has been selected again to help with the current AD search.

At its June 11th meeting, the Marshall University Board of Governors approved a contract extension to President Smith that will keep him leading Marshall through 2029 with the extension. President Brad Smith, the former CEO at Intuit, is a Marshall alum and has made substantial financial gifts along with his wife to the university throughout his adult life. Most notably, President Smith and his administration are working aggressively to reach their Marshall For All, Marshall Forever goals by 2037, the 200th birthday of Marshall’s founding. The Parthenon, Marshall’s student newspaper, did a two-year check-in interview and cover story in March 2024 to recap President Smith’s presidency up to that point, and it suggests there is alignment and optimism for Marshall from students, staff, and faculty.

The newly elected Mayor of Huntington, Patrick Farrell, also served on the Marshall Board of Governors from 2017-2024 and was the chair of the board when they selected President Smith. Two current members of the Board of Governors were Marshall student-athletes, and one is the sister of the recent men’s basketball head coach that led Marshall for 10 seasons upon his departure after the 2023-2024 season.

Almost every elected official representing Huntington residents at the county, state, and federal levels are republicans. However, that is not necessarily the case in the city of Huntington. The mayoral race was extremely close in Huntington with Mayor Farrell beating democratic candidate by less than 50 total votes. In the city council general election, which saw all 11 seats up for election, six elected officials are democrats but four of the five republicans were elected in 2024 for the first time.

Location

2024 General Election Voting

Institutional Profile

Marshall Leadership

This section includes the Board of Governors, President, President’s Administration (Cabinet), and the search committee tasked with hiring the next Athletic Director.

Marshall University Board of Governors

All members are appointed by the governor and there is a representative for students, faculty, and staff.

*= Athletic Committee member

President

President’s Cabinet

The President’s leadership team is described as the administration instead of a cabinet on the Office of the President website.

The university is leaning on CarrSports to help coordinate the AD search and the firm published a 12-page search profile. Marshall used CarrSports for the previous AD hire, too. This 11-person committee is being included here because of its significance to the AD position, but also because it indicates respect and potential influence beyond athletics by being on this committee. President Smith’s Chief of Staff, Ginny Painter, is chairing the committee.

Politicians

Below are relevant names with linked biographies and relevant notes of federal, state and local politicians representing the area that includes Marshall University.

Federal

State

City of Huntington

Resource Publications

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