TurnkeyZRG Recruits Director of Athletics for the University of Maryland
May 21, 2025 – TurnkeyZRG has assisted in the recruitment of James Smith as its new Barry P. Gossett director of athletics for the University of Maryland. “We are proud of the athletics tradition here at the University of Maryland and of the accomplishments of our coaches and student-athletes who represent the red, black, white and gold,” said Darryll J. Pines, president of the University of Maryland. “As college athletics rapidly evolves, Jim brings valuable administrative and business experience, plus the energy, vision and passion to lead our athletics program to new levels of success and impact.”
Mr. Smith’s selection follows a national search led by an internal search committee, led by vice president for legal affairs and general counsel Jay Rosselló and arts and humanities dean Stephanie Shonekan, and supported by TurnKeyZRG. He assumes his new position on July 15, 2025.
Mr. Smith has worked in athletics for more than two decades at both university and professional organizations, including the Atlanta Braves, the Ohio State University, Atlanta Falcons, AMB Sports & Entertainment, and the Columbus Crew among others. He is currently with the Atlanta Braves where he has been serving as the senior vice president of business strategy. In his five-year tenure with the Braves, he has led a team focused on implementing innovative business, brand, marketing and communications strategies to drive revenue, engagement and membership growth. Mr. Smith’s visionary leadership and strategy team assisted the organization in rapid growth, resulting in significant increases in annual ticket sales, concessions and retail. He is the Braves’ point person for the 2025 MLB All-Star Game at Truist Park.
Mr. Smith was previously with the Ohio State University Alumni Association, where, as president and CEO, he led one of the largest alumni associations in the world, including a team of more than 80 professionals, and oversaw a $17 million budget. He implemented new strategies focused on innovative alumni engagement and outreach, resulting in a 10 percent annual revenue growth in two years, and 15 percent increase in alumni participation.
Mr. Smith has also held a series of senior executive positions at Arthur M. Blank Sports & Entertainment (AMBSE), in charge of all revenue and marketing for the National Football League’s Atlanta Falcons, Major League Soccer’s Atlanta United, and the design and development of the $1.6 billion Mercedes-Benz Stadium project. He developed a strategic revenue generation plan for the stadium, creating a state-of-the-art facility to meet the needs of an evolving industry. He provided oversight of all sales functions for the stadium, including negotiating naming rights, sponsorships and suite sales. At AMBSE, Smith was the driving force in the creation of Atlanta’s MLS franchise, Atlanta United, the most successful launch of a soccer franchise in the country’s history. Mr. Smith is currently a board member for the Mitsubishi Electric Senior PGA, Gwinnett County Chamber, and Arete Scholars.
Mr. Smith’s arrival at Maryland follows an era of recent successes and milestones for the Terrapins, beginning with the university’s entry into the Big Ten Conference and the Big Ten Academic Alliance in 2014. New facilities, such as the Jones-Hill House Football Performance Center; the new Barry Gossett Basketball Performance Center; and the Barry and Mary Gossett Hall for Academic and Personal Excellence of Student-Athletes, have raised the university’s profile as a leader and innovator in athletics.
In addition, Mr. Smith takes the helm at a time when Maryland teams have landed significant achievements. Since joining the Big Ten, Maryland has captured 49 conference championships, the third-most of any school during that span. Additionally, Maryland has secured six of its 47 national team championships over the last decade in the Big Ten. Mr. Smith brings with him a network of colleagues and consultants who have led elite college athletics. Smith plans to tap the consulting talents of his former colleague, the retired and legendary athletic director for the Ohio State University, Gene Smith. He will oversee the university’s department of intercollegiate athletics team of more than 250 full-time staff members who support more than 550 student-athletes.
What People Are Saying
“Jim is a proven and exceptional talent who has excelled in a variety of professional sports organizations,” said Big Ten commissioner Tony Petitti. “He will be a wonderful addition to the Big Ten athletic director group and I look forward to working with him.”
Related: TurnkeyZRG Recruits Director of Athletic for the University of Iowa
“Intercollegiate athletics is undergoing rapid change and the AD position is evolving as well,” said Gene Smith, former senior vice president and director of athletics at The Ohio State University. “Jim Smith’s experiences on campus and with pro sports make him uniquely qualified to lead the Terrapins program. Organizations like Ohio State, the Braves, the Falcons and Atlanta United are all exceptional, making Jim a tremendous hire.”
“The University of Maryland is getting a seasoned sports executive with a proven track record of enhancing championship organizations,” said Derek Schiller, president and CEO of the Atlanta Braves. “Jim is bringing more than 20 years of successful experience strategically building revenue and developing talent at the professional and collegiate levels. He is an excellent communicator with an innate ability to lead in complex multifaceted organizations. There is no doubt that he will take Maryland’s athletic program to new heights and we wish him nothing but the best.”
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.
TurnkeyZRG conducted many recent athletics director searches, including for the University of Iowa, Texas Christian University, the University of Pittsburgh and Northwestern University. TurnkeyZRG also assisted with the search for the new Big Ten commissioner and conducted the NCAA president search.
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.
Contributed by Scott A. Scanlon, Editor-in-Chief and Dale M. Zupsansky, Executive Editor – Hunt Scanlon Media
