All articles tagged with #executive in residence
Mitch Barnhart announced his retirement as UK’s athletic director but will take a new Executive in Residence role for the UK Sports and Workforce Initiative at a $950,000 annual salary through 2030, drawing booster and Governor Beshear scrutiny over duties and governance as a board meeting approaches.
A University of Kentucky booster sent a letter to President Eli Capilouto criticizing Mitch Barnhart’s newly created Executive in Residence post for the UK Sports and Workforce Initiative, calling the role inappropriate, costly, and lacking a formal job description, and demanding its reversal. The letter argues the deal could undervalue athletes and smaller programs, raises concerns about governance and transparency, and signals escalating internal backlash within UK leadership and donor circles.
Kentucky athletic director Mitch Barnhart will retire effective June 30 but will begin June 1 as the university’s first Executive in Residence for the UK Sports and Workforce Initiative, an academic project led by UK President Eli Capilouto. Barnhart’s new role will be on the academic side with no athletics oversight, and UK plans a thoughtful search for his replacement in athletics. Barnhart’s amended contract reportedly runs through August 31, 2030 with a base salary of $950,000 plus benefits and life perks, and he will remain connected in a supporting/advisory capacity as the university develops the program to study and promote sports.
UK Athletics Director Mitch Barnhart will retire in June after 24 years and move into the role of the first executive-in-residence for UK’s new UK Sport and Workforce Initiative, as the university begins a search for his successor and plans a listening tour to chart the program’s future.