Pepperdine Athletic Director Tanner Gardner discusses his path from management consulting to college athletics, including leadership roles at Rice before arriving at Pepperdine. He explains how Pepperdine’s Christian mission shapes hiring decisions, why cultural fit is essential, and how the university’s faith-based identity influences the student-athlete experience. Gardner also shares why he has been intentional about studying and working at places like Stanford, Harvard, Rice and Pepperdine. He offers his perspective on what schools like Pepperdine may look like 10 years from now with the changing college athletics landscape, and discusses whether hiring head coaches will remain one of the athletic director’s primary responsibilities. He wraps with great advice on how to stay sharp and connected in a somewhat lonely job, including having mentors and an executive coach who is a former long-time athletic director.

• 0:00 Introduction
• 1:45 Why Tanner Gardner at Pepperdine Made Sense Two Years Ago
• 8:30 Knowing Your Institution Type Preference (Tanner’s is high-level academic private)
• 12:45 How Does Christianity Show Up In The AD Job for tanner?
• 15:25 Have The Industry Challenges and Decisions Tested Your Faith?
• 18:15 Describing a Student Athlete Experience at Pepperdine
• 23:55 What Does College Athletics Look Like at a Pepperdine Type Schools in 10 Years?
• 26:00 Will ADs Always Hire The Head Coaches?
• 30:40 Chief Recommendation Officer to Chief Decision Maker Transition
• 36:20 Advice Line: Avoiding Being Typecasted
• 42:20 Patience for the AD Chair

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