The Univ. of Tennessee is “paying Turnkey Sports & Entertainment $75,000, plus expenses, to conduct its search” for a new AD, according to Rhiannon Potkey of the Knoxville NEWS SENTINEL. Turnkey was “selected over three other bidders" -- Collegiate Sports Associates, DHR Int'l and Parker Executive Search. Turnkey has assigned Senior Exec Dir Gene DeFilippo to “perform the search and agreed that DeFilippo will not begin any other Power 5 athletic director searches during the UT search.” Collegiate’s bid for the AD search “was $75,500, plus a one-time $500 fee for technology and office support and reimbursement for travel costs, materials and background checks.” DHR’s bid “was $112,000 with travel costs paid separately and advertising and other expenses to be reimbursed at cost.” Parker’s bid “was $70,000 with travel and advertising costs reimbursed at actual cost.” If the new AD’s salary was “less than $250,000, Parker’s fee would have decreased to $55,000.” UT “paid Parker $75,000, plus expenses, to help in its nationwide search for a new chancellor for the Knoxville campus” (Knoxville NEWS SENTINEL, 1/31).
