ST. LOUIS - The St. Louis Cardinals announced Wednesday, June 24, 2026, that Bill DeWitt III has been named chief executive officer and Anuk Karunaratne has been named president of business operations, marking a leadership transition within the organization’s executive team while Bill DeWitt Jr. remains chairman and principal owner.
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The team made the announcement ahead of a 1 p.m. news conference on Wednesday afternoon, June 24, 2026.
The move places DeWitt III in the CEO role and elevates Karunaratne to oversee all business matters and off-field initiatives for the organization. He will report to DeWitt III. The Cardinals said DeWitt Jr. “will continue his involvement in significant team baseball and business matters.”
The transition comes after more than three decades of stewardship by the DeWitt family, which has owned the Cardinals since a group led by DeWitt Jr. purchased the franchise from Anheuser-Busch in 1995.
DeWitt Jr., 84, has served as the franchise’s chairman and chief executive officer since 1996. During that span, the Cardinals won multiple National League pennants and two World Series championships, and the club developed Ballpark Village. DeWitt III, 58, has served as the Cardinals’ president since 2008, overseeing business operations including sales, marketing, and finance.
Karunaratne, now president of business operations, will assume leadership of all business matters and off-field initiatives for the organization.
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