U of I Athletic Director Ron Guenther to Retire

University of Illinois Athletic Director Ron Guenther says he will retire after his contract runs out June 30th.

Guenther said in a news release Monday that he's been working with the university on a succession plan and a search committee has started looking for his replacement. Guenther had talked recently about possibly staying on after June to begin work on a planned renovation of the Assembly Hall.

Guenther's 19 years on the job have been marked by a number of sports-related construction projects. They include the recent $121 million renovation of Memorial Stadium. Interim Vice President and Chancellor Bob Easter praised Guenther for his integrity and high athlete graduation rates.

Guenther is a University of Illinois graduate and played on the football team in the early 1960s.