Heisman Trophy Trust Announces Board Leadership Transition
The Heisman Trophy Trust today announced that Dan Reed has been elected the next Chair of the Board of Trustees, succeeding Mike Comerford, who will step down as Chair on Jan. 1, 2026, after a period of transformational leadership. Comerford will continue to serve on the Board as Vice Chair, ensuring continuity and the benefit of his nearly three decades of service.
The transition comes at a pivotal moment as the Heisman Trophy approaches its 92nd year with a refreshed strategic vision to accelerate its commercial and philanthropic impact, building on its legacy of excellence that spans generations of extraordinary athletes and the Trust’s commitment to underserved youth through sports and education. To achieve this vision the Trust recently hired its first-ever CEO, Jeff Price, to lead the organization and drive commercial growth in order to deepen its investments in youth development, scholarship programs, and community partnerships. Reed’s election as Board Chair – with his deep and proven record of strategic leadership and growth across sports, media, and technology – will further accelerate the Trust’s ability to execute its new vision and expand its footprint in significant and exciting ways.
Reed will be tasked with building on the impressive legacy of Comerford, a 25-year trustee whose leadership has been central to shaping the Trust’s modern governance and long-term direction.
His achievements as Chair include:
- Expanding and diversifying the Board, increasing its strategic capabilities.
- Guiding development of a new long-term strategic vision that led to the decision to hire the Trust’s first Chief Executive Officer, culminating in the appointment of Jeff Price.
- Stabilizing and growing the Trust’s revenues, increasing its endowment from $25 million to $70 million while overseeing millions of dollars in annual charitable giving to organizations that support youth development through sports and education.
- Leading the Trust through the historic return of the Heisman Trophy to Reggie Bush.
“Serving as Chair has been a tremendous honor, and I’m incredibly proud of what we’ve accomplished during this pivotal period,” said Comerford. “We have preserved the legacy of the Heisman Trophy, strengthened our board, modernized our operations, and laid the groundwork for accelerating our philanthropic mission. As the Trust approaches its 92nd year, this is the perfect time for Dan to assume the Chair role. Since joining the Board he’s been the driving force behind our new strategic vision to expand our footprint and philanthropic impact. He has all the skills and experiences we’ll need to achieve our goals as we approach our centennial. I look forward to continuing my service on the Board and supporting this next phase.”
Reed, a trustee for the past three years, brings 25 years of experience building high-growth global businesses in technology, sports, and media. At Meta he served as VP of Sports and Media Partnerships, leading the growth of Facebook and Instagram into essential global sports and video platforms while forging innovative partnerships across sports and entertainment. Later, as COO of Meta’s Reality Labs, he led a fast-growing, multi-billion-dollar business building the next computing platforms in AI wearables and mixed reality. He previously spent a decade at the NBA, where, as President of the NBA G League, he led a 12X increase in franchise values and significant business and basketball growth, and, as a senior leader in the NBA’s Team Marketing and Business Operations (TMBO) group he guided NBA teams to record business results.
“I believe the Heisman Trophy Trust has an extraordinary opportunity in today’s dynamic sports landscape,” said Reed. “As a charitable organization that is also an iconic sports brand embodying timeless values of excellence, character, perseverance, and leadership, we can do so much more to harness the power of the Heisman to change the lives of young people. I’m honored to serve as Chair and to work with Jeff, the Board, and the legendary Heisman Trophy Winners to grow our business and expand our philanthropic impact. I’m grateful for Mike’s outstanding leadership and eager to build on the foundation he created.”
“Dan is the right leader at exactly the right time,” said Price, incoming CEO of the Heisman Trophy Trust. “He has a proven track record of leadership and innovation and has already been instrumental in shaping the Trust’s present and future. His strategic vision, sports background, and ability to connect innovation with mission will be essential as we grow our impact. I also want to extend my deepest appreciation to Mike for his decades of service and the steady leadership he’s provided during this transformational period.”
