The Univ. of Missouri has "yet to make significant progress" in their search to fill the school's AD post a month after the "surprise departure" of Desiree Reed-Francois, according to Eli Hoff of the ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH. Some "early, organizational steps" have been taken with the university hiring executive search firm Turnkey ZRG and the formation of a search committee with the former “working on identifying target candidates to provide to the latter.” But there are not any signs that the AD search has “moved far past the ignition stage” -- and that is “rather unsurprising.” Hoff noted Missouri is “willing to take a patient approach with its hire” and pay its chosen AD the salary it “thinks is necessary to secure their services.” Last week, Texas A&M hired Trev Alberts away from Nebraska to be the schools new AD, roughly two months after former Texas A&M AD Ross Bjork left for the same position at Ohio State. Hoff noted the Texas A&M hire is a “notable comparison” for Missouri’s search since Texas A&M also hired Turnkey to help with the hiring process. Still a lingering question over Missouri’s search is whether there are “reputational red flags surrounding the job,” which has seen considerable turnover over the last decade. Hoff: “Heightened oversight from the UM System Board of Curators, the power of football coach Eli Drinkwitz and the downward career move of Reed-Francois to Arizona all factor into those questions” (ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH, 3/20).
