Lloyd Howell elected by NFLPA as new executive director, succeeding DeMaurice Smith

The National Football League Players Association announced Wednesday that Lloyd Howell was elected by the board of player representatives as their new executive director of the NFLPA.

Howell will replace DeMaurice Smith, who has led the players' union since 2009.

"We are excited to have Lloyd lead our union into its next chapter and succeed DeMaurice Smith, who has ably led our organization for the past decade-plus and has our gratitude and thanks," NFLPA president JC Tretter said in a statement. "It was important for us to run a process that lived up to the prestige of the position we sought to fill. The process was 100% player-led and focused on leadership competency, skills and experience. Our union deserves strong leadership and a smooth transition, and we are confident Lloyd will make impactful advances on behalf of our membership."

Howell, 56, retired as the chief financial officer and treasurer of Booz Allen Hamilton Holding Company, a business management consulting firm, at the end of 2022 after spending more than three decades with the company.

Howell, a University of Pennsylvania and Harvard Business School graduate, is the union's fourth executive director, following Ed Garvey, Gene Upshaw and Smith.

Pro Football Talk reports that the players have been unaware of who will lead the union and the process by which Howell was elected.

The NFLPA said that the vote took place after a months-long search process and was done in compliance with the union's constitution and all board amendments.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: NFLPA names Lloyd Howell executive director for DeMaurice Smith