The University of Missouri Board of Curators recently reelected Todd Graves to serve as chair for a second one-year term, effective Jan. 1, 2026. Appointed to the board in 2021, Graves continues an accomplished six-year term as the sixth congressional representative on a nine-member board “signaling continuity after a landmark year for the UM System,” according to a news release.

The board also elected Robert Blitz to serve as vice chair, replacing outgoing curator Michael Williams.

The Board of Curators serves as the governing body of the University of Missouri System, which includes the University of Missouri-Columbia, the University of Missouri-Kansas City, Missouri University of Science and Technology and the University of Missouri-St. Louis. Graves served as vice chair in 2024 before earning election to chair, a role he has held since January 1, 2025.

“I am honored to have the confidence of my fellow curators to lead the board for another year,” Graves said in a release. “I will work with them to continue building on the successes of the past so that the UM System continues to provide world-class education, cutting-edge research and economic opportunity for the people of our great state.”

The UM System also recently announced a record fundraising year in the fiscal period of 2025 under Graves’ leadership, in addition to other important milestones, which include the procurement of $50 million in state funding for NextGen MURR and approval of a new plan to construct the Energy Innovation Center to provide a state-of-the-art facility in which researchers will discover new methods of energy production.

Graves’ deep ties to the UM System were recently detailed in an article featured on the Show Me Mizzou website. He earned his bachelor’s degree in agricultural economics, summa cum laude, from the University of Missouri in 1988. Four generations of his family, including his great-grandfather, father and three of his four children, in addition to his wife, have graduated from the school as well.

At Graves Garrett, Graves represents clients nationwide before federal and state courts and administrative agencies. His areas of experience include white-collar criminal defense, political speech and election law, internal investigations, regulatory compliance, and complex commercial litigation.

Before founding his law firm, Graves served as the United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri. Prior to his role with the federal government, Todd was twice elected Platte County Prosecuting Attorney, in 1994 and 1998. At the time of his election in 1994, he was the youngest full-time prosecuting attorney in Missouri. He was appointed United States Attorney from his elected position.

Raised on a family farm near Tarkio, Missouri, Todd resides with his wife, Tracy, on a 270-acre farm north of Kansas City that has been in the family since 1867.