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Former WCW Executive Vice President Jim Herd has died at the age of 87.
Conrad Thompson announced the news on Tuesday in his column for Uncrowned. Thompson wrote that Herd died in October, and Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter said Herd passed away about three weeks ago. No other details about his death have been shared.
Herd ran WCW from late 1988 until early 1992, after Ted Turner bought Jim Crockett Promotions and turned it into World Championship Wrestling. He was the first executive vice president of the company.
His time in charge is one of the most talked about periods in WCW history. Herd is best known for firing Ric Flair in July 1991, after contract talks between the two sides broke down. Flair left the company and went to WWE, taking the WCW World Heavyweight Championship belt with him.
Herd resigned from WCW on January 8, 1992. Thompson wrote that Herd’s short time in wrestling should be looked at again, and pointed to Big Van Vader, The Great Muta and Scott Steiner all performing for WCW during his time in charge.
Before WCW, Herd was the station manager at KPLR-TV in St. Louis, the home of Wrestling at the Chase. He also worked for a company that owned 68 Pizza Hut restaurants. After leaving WCW, he moved into the casino business.
Herd’s death was not reported until Tuesday, about three weeks after he passed away. Thompson also released a sit-down interview with Herd that was filmed in 2021.
What is confirmed is Herd’s death at 87 and his time running WCW from 1988 to 1992. What is not confirmed is any more detail about his death, including the exact date or cause.
