LSU Chief Financial Officer Dan Layzell will take over as interim president of the LSU Foundation after Stephen Moret leaves his post at the helm of the organization later this month, LSU announced this this morning.
“There is a lot of positive momentum at the foundation right now and I’ve worked closely with Stephen and he’s laid the groundwork for a major capital campaign,” Layzell says. “My role is to come in and provide the support and continuity of leadership that the staff needs.”
Moret announced Monday he is leaving the foundation after 18 months to head the Virginia Economic Development Partnership, which is similar to the position he held as secretary of Louisiana Economic Development from 2008 to 2015 under former Gov. Bobby Jindal.
Layzell, who came to LSU with extensive experience in Illinois’ two university systems, is one of LSU President F. King Alexander’s closest advisors. He has been instrumental in launching the university’s new IT system, among other things. That he—and not a member of the LSU Foundation board of directors—will head the foundation, even temporarily, speaks to the close working relationship that has been forged between the LSU administration and the foundation under Alexander.
Layzell says Alexander and the board jointly made the decision to tap him for the interim post.
“The president had a conversation with the foundation board leadership and they were in full agreement that we need to have a more integrated relationship,” he says. “That is certainly the goal as we search for the permanent person to replace Stephen.”
Layzell expects a search committee to work quickly and says both the university and the foundation would like to have a permanent CEO in place by the spring.
—Stephanie Riegel
