Mark Womack, SEC Executive Associate Commissioner, Passes Away at 70

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — Mark Womack, the Executive Associate Commissioner of the Southeastern Conference (SEC), died on Monday at the age of 70. A native of Scottsboro, Womack dedicated nearly 50 years to the SEC, having joined the league in 1978.

Womack’s tenure at the SEC extended over 47 years, where he handled roles from chief financial officer to liaison with athletic directors. His extensive knowledge of football scheduling made him a key figure in the operation of the conference. He was well regarded for his collaboration with bowl and television partners as well as overseeing SEC football administration.

“Mark Womack dedicated nearly five decades of his life to the universities of the Southeastern Conference,” SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey said in a statement. “The SEC was his passion… Our thoughts and prayers are with Mark’s family and friends during this time.”

Born on January 12, 1955, Womack graduated from the University of Alabama with a degree in public relations in 1978. He started as an assistant public relations director before ascending through various positions in the SEC office. Womack became Executive Associate Commissioner in 1991.

Throughout his career, he helped shape critical decisions that led to substantial growth in the SEC, including the expansion from 10 to 16 teams over multiple years, incorporating schools such as Arkansas, South Carolina, Missouri, Texas A&M, Texas, and Oklahoma.

Womack also played a pivotal role in establishing the SEC Football Championship Game, which debuted in 1992 as the first conference title game in Division I. He briefly served as the acting commissioner twice during the 1980s before the hiring of permanent commissioners.

In 2023, he earned the Distinguished American Sportsman Award from the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame, recognizing his contributions to college athletics. Womack is survived by his son, John David Womack, and his wife, Stephanie, whom he married in 1994. Funeral arrangements have not yet been disclosed.