Tennessee hires firm for AD search; Peyton Manning on search committee

Rhiannon Potkey

USA TODAY NETWORK - Tennessee

The University of Tennessee announced Friday it has awarded a contract to Turnkey Sports and Entertainment to assist Chancellor-Elect Beverly Davenport in the search for the university’s new athletic director.

Tennessee also announced the search committee to advise Davenport throughout the hiring process. The members of the committee include: former UT quarterback great Peyton Manning; senior associate athletics director Donna Thomas; UT trustee and alumnus Charlie Anderson; Jimmy Haslam, alumnus, CEO of Pilot Flying J and owner of the Cleveland Browns; and professor Donald Bruce, UT’s faculty representative for the SEC and the NCAA.

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Davenport has asked Raja Jubran, alumnus and vice chair of the UT Board of Trustees, to chair the search committee.

The intent to award followed a bid process, which began on Dec. 20. According to Davenport, Turnkey was selected based on its “extensive experience selecting and hiring the highest-caliber leaders exclusively in the sports arena.”

Turnkey will begin seeking applications, interviewing and vetting potential candidates as soon as its purchase order is finalized, which UT expects to be as early as next week. Davenport's full-time appointment as the new chancellor begins Feb. 15.

Former University of Tennessee and NFL quarterback Peyton Manning is honored by former UT head coach Phil Fulmer, left, and Athletic Director Dave Hart, right, before the game against Alabama at Neyland Stadium on Oct. 15, 2016.

“I am confident with Turnkey's help, we will identify and hire the best person for the job,” Davenport said in a school release. “I’m looking for a leader with a proven track record of success on and off the field. I will hire someone who is committed to maintaining the integrity of our program and is dedicated to the success of all of our student-athletes and all of the management of our nationally recognized athletic programs.”

Incoming University of Tennessee Chancellor Beverly Davenport speaks to reporters Dec. 15, 2016, after the Board of Trustees unanimously voted to approve her appointment to head the state's flagship public university.

No financial details between Turnkey and UT were released on Friday.

UT paid the Parker Executive Search firm $75,000, plus expenses, to help in its nationwide hunt for a new chancellor for the Knoxville campus.

The contract locked in terms that can be used by the Tennessee Board of Regents and any of the UT campuses for searches, but neither are required to use Parker.

In the past nine years, Parker has helped UT fill at least 11 leadership positions, including four in athletics.

"In a specialized search like this one, the university wanted to generate proposals from a wide range of firms with experience in executive recruiting for the sports and entertainment industry," UT spokeswoman Karen Ann Simsen said when asked why the university did not use Parker for the AD search.

Turnkey, based in Haddonfield, N.J., assisted Alabama in recruiting Greg Byrne from the University of Arizona to replace Bill Battle, who retired this week.

According to Turnkey, the firm has also completed AD searches in the past year for clients including the University of Michigan, the University of Minnesota, Bowling Green State University, Grand Valley State University and Georgia Tech.

“The outpouring of interest in the new AD is just as I expected. This is the premier AD job in the country, and the passion of Big Orange Country is second to none,” Davenport said. “I appreciate all of the support and words of encouragement I have received. With Turnkey's help, we will conduct a thorough, nationwide search that is open to all candidates to ensure we will yield the best candidates for the job.”