Mark Womack, Executive Associate Commissioner of the Southeastern Conference (SEC), passed away Monday at the age of 70, leaving behind his wife Stephanie and his son John David Womack.
Womack spent nearly half a century serving the SEC, playing a pivotal role in shaping the modern landscape of college sports.
Womack joined the SEC in 1978 as Assistant Public Relations Director and quickly rose through the ranks.
He became Assistant to the Commissioner for Administration and Information in 1979, Assistant Commissioner in 1981, and Associate Commissioner in 1988.
Over his 47-year tenure, Womack served as Chief Financial Officer, coordinated football scheduling, and acted as a liaison to the conference’s athletic directors, bowl partners, and television partners.
During his career, Womack helped the SEC expand its footprint from seven states in 1978 to 16 states by 2024, guiding the conference through multiple expansions, including the addition of Arkansas, South Carolina, Missouri, Texas A&M, Texas, and Oklahoma.
He also played an instrumental role in developing the first SEC Football Championship Game in 1992, the first conference championship of its kind in Division I.
“Mark Womack dedicated nearly five decades of his life to the universities of the Southeastern Conference,” said SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey.
“The SEC was his passion. During his career, he played a key role in many of the league’s most pivotal decisions that contributed significantly to the long-term success of the SEC. Mark had many friends across the world of college athletics and was deeply respected for his ability to build strong relationships, navigate complex challenges, and communicate with strength, trust, and empathy. Our thoughts and prayers are with Mark’s family and friends during this time.”
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Womack twice served as acting SEC commissioner, first in 1986 and again in 1989, working alongside five of the league’s eight commissioners.
Under his leadership, the SEC witnessed 20 football national champions and secured some of the most lucrative television contracts in college sports history.
In 2023, he was honored by the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame as its Distinguished American Sportsman of the Year.
Born on January 12, 1955, in Scottsboro, Alabama, and raised in Tuscaloosa, Womack earned a bachelor’s degree in Public Relations from the University of Alabama in 1978.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Billy Mack and Mable Carter Womack, and his brother Tommy Womack.
His wife Stephanie, whom he married in 1994, and their son John David Womack survive him.
Tributes have poured in from colleagues, athletes, and administrators across the SEC and the broader college athletics community, honoring his decades of service and lasting impact on the sport.
Funeral arrangements have not been announced at this time.
