What to know about new Louisville athletic director Josh Heird

After almost six months, the interim tag will be removed from his title.

The University of Louisville's board of trustees approve Josh Heird as its next athletic director Friday morning. As the full-time AD, he replaces Vince Tyra, who resigned Dec. 8 and has since become the senior vice president for corporate strategy, mergers and acquisitions for Houchens Industries.

Here is what you need to know about the Cardinals' new AD:

When was Josh Heird hired by Louisville?

Heird became the deputy athletics director for the Cardinals in April 2019, working under Tyra during his second stint with the school. He'd previously been at Louisville as the assistant director of championships, director of championships and assistant athletic director of championships and facilities in a 10-year span (2007-16).

What did Josh Heird do before coming to Louisville?

The former Mississippi College all-conference runner sandwiched a three-year period at Villanova between two stints at U of L. There, he served as the senior associate athletics director/chief athletics operating officer after being the associate athletic director for internal operations and finance for two years.

Who was Louisville's previous AD?

Heird replaced Vince Tyra, who resigned Dec. 8. Heird became interim AD five days later. Prior to Tyra, Tom Jurich served as AD for nearly 20 years before being fired in the wake of an FBI investigation into illicit basketball recruiting practices by the men's basketball program. Jurich had been linked to the AD position in recent months and was backed by several notable U of L boosters.

What did Josh Heird's do as Louisville's interim AD?

Most notably in Heird's nearly six months under the interim tag, he successfully navigated a separation with men's basketball coach Chris Mack and subsequently hired well-liked former Cardinal Kenny Payne.

In the time that he served as the Cardinals' interim athletic director, Heird proved his commitment to women's sports by giving contract extensions to volleyball head coach Dani Busboom Kelly, who led her squad to a 32-1 season and NCAA semifinal appearance, and women's basketball head coach Jeff Walz, the all-time winningest coach in program history whose Cardinals squads have been a No. 1 seed in three of the last four NCAA tournaments. Both coaches' contracts were extended for six years.

What will Josh Heird's salary be?

Heird signed a five-year contract with a proposed base salary is $850,000, per his term sheet. It's a $118,205 raise from his current salary of $731,795. If still employed on June 30, 2024, he'll receive a $125,000 retention bonus, which then increases to $150,000 the next year, $175,000 in 2026 and $200,000 in 2027.

Heird can also get a performance bonus of up to 25% of his base salary per contract year, which will be determined by the university's board of trustees.

Heird has a $400,000 buyout if the university terminates his contract before or on June 30, 2023 with the amount decreasing by $50,000 each year prior to the end of his five-year term.

Reach Louisville football, women's basketball and baseball beat writer Alexis Cubit at acubit@gannett.com and follow her on Twitter at @Alexis_Cubit.

This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Josh Heird becomes permanent Louisville next athletics director