TurnkeyZRG Leading Athletic Director Search for the University of Michigan
November 5, 2026 – The University of Michigan is launching a national search for its next athletic director, with president-elect C. Cybele Raver leading the process in partnership with current president Domenico Grasso. The school has retained TurnkeyZRG to lead the assignment. The university is seeking a leader of unquestioned integrity who will take a fresh, comprehensive look at Michigan Athletics and guide the department through a period of transformational change in college sports. The new AD will succeed Warde Manuel, who will step down at the end of the year.
TurnkeyZRG previously assisted Michigan in the 2016 search that brought Mr. Manuel to Ann Arbor and in the recent searches that hired coaches Kyle Whittingham and Dusty May.
Candidate confidentiality will be maintained throughout the process, consistent with applicable law and university policy, to ensure a robust candidate pool. The university welcomes input from student-athletes, coaches, staff, faculty, alumni and supporters. As part of the search, ZRG Turnkey will gather input on the desired qualities, experience and priorities that should guide the selection of our next director.
Reporting to the university president, the AD will provide comprehensive leadership, strategic direction, and oversight of Michigan Athletics, with accountability for the overall integrity, performance, and success of the department. The AD will bring a forward-thinking vision to anticipate the future of college athletics and build a department positioned for sustained excellence. The school notes that today’s evolving collegiate athletics landscape requires a nimble, adaptable, and open-minded leader with strong business acumen, sound judgment, innovation, and a growth mindset. Equally important, the AD must be a hands-on, day-to-day operational leader who ensures Michigan Athletics consistently advances the University’s institutional priorities and tradition of excellence.
For this role, a bachelor’s degree is required, along with an advanced degree in athletics administration, business, or a related field, or equivalent education and experience. Candidates must have a minimum of 10 years of leadership experience in sports, entertainment, or a related industry, and a commitment to student-athlete well-being, academic success, gender equity, and institutional integrity. Michigan welcomes candidates from intercollegiate athletics, professional sports, and sports-adjacent industries who demonstrate strong leadership, commercial acumen, and the ability to advance the University’s mission.
Related: TurnkeyZRG Assists UNC Recruit New Men’s Head Basketball Coach
Michigan Athletics competes in the NCAA Division I Big Ten Conference under the Wolverines name, sponsoring varsity sports programs for men and women. The athletic department oversees student-athlete development, coaching and administrative operations, facilities, fundraising, and compliance with NCAA and conference regulations. The program supports more than 900 student-athletes and has a history of athletic competition dating to 1865.
Filling Roles for the Sports, Media and Entertainment Sectors
Founded in 1996, TurnkeyZRG is a specialized talent recruitment/executive search firm filling C-level, senior-level and mid-management-level positions throughout sports, media and entertainment. Over the past 25 years, the firm has filled more than 1,400 positions. TurnkeyZRG helps teams, leagues, stadiums, arenas, theaters, college athletic departments, events, sponsors, agencies, media companies, private equity companies and other clients identify, recruit, and hire the best management talent.
College athletics is moving into a new era as the business of sports continues to evolve, making commercial leadership increasingly important and creating new opportunities for experienced executives. As universities and professional teams place greater emphasis on revenue growth, partnerships, fan engagement, and brand strategy, the chief commercial officer role is becoming increasingly central to their business operations. TurnkeyZRG was recently retained by the University of Kentucky and the Indianapolis Colts to find chief commercial officers.
Len Perna is the founder, chairman, and CEO of Turnkey. He has 30-plus years’ experience in the sports and entertainment industry, with senior-level management experience in sales, event marketing and management, sponsorships, venue feasibility and development, facility operations, licensing, and legal affairs. Since founding Turnkey, Mr. Perna has managed over 1,400 executive searches.
Chad Chatlos, managing director, college & coaching practice, specializes in senior executive searches across the sports industry with a focus on diverse roles in the ever–changing landscape of Intercollegiate Athletics. He has completed multiple Power Five commissioner searches for the ACC, Pac-12, Big 10 and Big 12. Mr. Chatlos has also placed multiple Power 5 head football coaches and played a pivotal role in the NCAA president search. Prior to joining TurnkeyZRG, Mr. Chatlos started and ran the sports & entertainment practice at Ventura Partners. With more than 15 years of experience in sports marketing and event management, he has property, agency, and corporate experience in the business of sports. Throughout his career, Mr. Chatlos has completed searches for the NFL, NBA, MLB, MLS, multiple National Governing Bodies, and several brands as well.
Related: TurnkeyZRG Assists Southern Methodist University with Director of Athletics Search
Contributed by Scott A. Scanlon, Editor-in-Chief and Dale M. Zupsansky, Executive Editor – Hunt Scanlon Media
