COLUMBUS, Ohio — Ohio State announced that Texas A&M athletic director Ross Bjork will replace Gene Smith after he retires.
Bjork has worked at Texas A&M since May 2019. He has more than 25 years of sports administration experience.
He also served the role of Director of Athletics for seven years at the University of Mississippi. Among his achievements is finishing in the Top 40 of the Directors' Cup in consecutive years for the first time.
Bjork's first day as the new AD will be on July 1, 2024.
“Few athletics directors have established such an impressive and strong record of success in athletics, in the classroom and throughout the community,” Ohio State President Walter “Ted” Carter Jr. said. “The bar is incredibly high at Ohio State, and we have found in Ross a highly intelligent and effective leader – not to mention a fierce competitor.”
Smith said he will work with Bjork over the next several months before he retires at the end of June.
“Ross is uniquely equipped to step into our Buckeye community and make an immediate impact,” Smith said. “As I have said, Ohio State has afforded me the professional opportunity of a lifetime, and I am forever grateful. My final, important project over the next several months will be to work with Ross to ensure a smooth and effective transition with our student-athletes, coaches, department staff and university leaders.”
Bjork is a native of Dodge City, Kansas and received his bachelor's degree in recreation administration from Emporia State University in 1995. He was a two-year starter at fullback during his time there. He earned a master’s degree in athletic administration from Western Illinois University in December 1996.
Bjork and his wife, Sonya, have two sons Payton an Paxton.
Ohio State teams have won 115 team Big Ten titles under Smith. He had signed a four-year contract extension in 2021.
After his retirement was announced last year, he said his successor will have to fully embrace the recent seismic changes in college football, including realignment, NIL and the transfer portal.
Smith helped steer the football program through a down year after the firing of coach Jim Tressel in 2011. That led to the hiring of Meyer, who won a national championship after the 2014 season.