Laird Veatch
Laird Veatch was named Director of Athletics at the University of Memphis, by UofM President M. David Rudd August 9 and began at the UofM on October 1. A 25-year veteran in intercollegiate athletics — and a former Kansas State football player — Veatch was deemed to have the ideal background for the Memphis athletics program. Laird served as executive associate athletics director for internal affairs at the University of Florida from July 2017 until his move to the UofM.
Prior to Florida, Veatch spent seven years (2010-17) at his alma mater, Kansas State University, where served in a variety of roles, including deputy athletics director and interim director of athletics.
Veatch provided oversight to the K-State athletic department’s senior staff on strategic direction, fundraising, fan experience, ticket sales and multimedia rights. He was the lead manager of new capital projects, including fundraising, design vision and oversight of construction for more than $210 million in new facility projects, highlighted by an $85 million west-side football stadium expansion and a $65 million football-training complex.
Before returning to K-State, Veatch spent seven years with Learfield Sports (2003-10), including the last four as regional vice president (2006-10). Learfield Sports first hired Veatch in 2003 as the general manager for Mizzou Sports Properties before his promotion to regional vice president in 2006.
Prior to Learfield, Veatch spent a short time in athletic administration at Iowa State (2002-03) as senior associate athletics director for external operations, serving as the senior advisor to the athletics director and directing all external operations units, including marketing, development, media relations and event management.
He spent his formative years at Missouri (1997-2002), the last three as assistant athletics director for development, where he oversaw fundraising activities for the athletics department with special emphasis on facility and capital fundraising projects.
Veatch began his professional career in 1995 at the University of Texas, assisting with the development program as well as the external affairs area as a graduate assistant while earning his master’s degree in sports administration in 1997.
Veatch received his bachelor’s degree in business administration from Kansas State in 1995 where he was a four-year letterman at linebacker for College Football Hall of Fame coach Bill Snyder from 1990-94 and served as team captain as a senior. Veatch and his wife, Brandy, have three daughters, Jordyn, Taylor and Sydney, and one son, Dru.
