Charles Merrill Neinas (born January 18, 1932, in Wisconsin) is a former commissioner of the Big Eight Conference from 1971 to 1980. [1] [2] [3] Neinas also served as interim commissioner of the Big 12 Conference from 2011 to 2012. [4] [5] He was the 1996 Amos Alonzo Stagg Award winner.