The only commissioner the Mountain West Conference has known is stepping down after nearly 24 years in charge.

Craig Thompson’s last day will be Dec. 31.

Thompson has been at the helm of a league that started operations in January 1999. He saw Mountain West teams take part in five Bowl Championship Series or College Football Playoff bowl games.

He also helped bolster the league’s football portfolio by adding Boise State in 2011 when Utah left for the Pac-12 and BYU became an independent.