Curated News
By: NewsRamp Editorial Staff
August 28, 2025
ZRG's Chad Chatlos Named Among College Football's 25 Most Powerful Figures
TLDR
- ZRG's Chad Chatlos recognition provides competitive advantage through elite talent connections and proven track record in high-stakes college sports leadership placements.
- ZRG uses data-driven executive search processes and deep industry relationships to systematically identify and place top talent in critical college sports positions.
- ZRG's leadership placements help shape college sports programs that inspire communities and create positive role models for future generations of athletes.
- Chatlos placed 10 of the AP Top 25 head coaches this season, demonstrating remarkable influence over college football's competitive landscape.
Impact - Why it Matters
This recognition matters because leadership decisions in college sports have far-reaching implications beyond the playing field. The executives, commissioners, and coaches placed by firms like ZRG shape conference realignments, media rights deals worth billions, and the overall direction of collegiate athletics. For fans, these leadership choices determine conference stability, competitive balance, and the long-term health of their favorite programs. For universities, these hires impact athletic department revenues, academic standards, and institutional reputation. In an era of rapid transformation with NIL agreements, conference expansion, and media landscape changes, the quality of leadership selection directly affects the sport's accessibility, fairness, and sustainability for athletes, institutions, and viewers alike.
Summary
ZRG, the world's fastest-growing full-service talent advisory firm and USA TODAY's most respected search firm in college sports, has achieved a significant milestone as Managing Director Chad Chatlos was named to USA TODAY's prestigious list of the 25 Most Powerful People in College Football heading into the 2025 season. Chatlos, who joined ZRG in 2020, has built an impressive reputation as the industry's leading search executive, responsible for shaping the leadership landscape of college athletics through his work on high-profile commissioner searches for major conferences like the Big Ten and Big 12, as well as athletic director and head coach placements at powerhouse programs including Texas, Oklahoma, Texas A&M, and Michigan State.
The recognition highlights ZRG's dominant position in college sports leadership transitions, with CEO Larry Hartmann emphasizing that Chatlos represents the firm's broader ability to serve as a trusted partner at the highest levels of various industries. Remarkably, 10 of the AP Top 25 head coaches in this weekend's opening games were placed by Chatlos, demonstrating the profound depth of his influence on the sport's trajectory. Under the leadership of Len Perna, ZRG's sports & entertainment practice has consistently handled the industry's most visible and sensitive leadership transitions, leveraging their data-driven Zi platform that combines talent intelligence with candidate insights to deliver superior results.
Chatlos attributes his success to the collaborative team effort at ZRG, specifically acknowledging key members Katy Young Staudt, Jocelyn Gates, and Tucker Lewis who support the college sports practice daily. The USA TODAY ranking places Chatlos alongside conference commissioners, university presidents, media executives, coaches, and agents, including notable figures like SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey, University of Colorado head coach Deion Sanders, and ESPN analyst Nick Saban. Backed by private equity investor RFE Investment Partners, ZRG continues to revolutionize how organizations hire and manage talent across multiple industries while maintaining its central role in shaping the future of college sports leadership.
Source Statement
This curated news summary relied on content disributed by citybiz. Read the original source here, ZRG's Chad Chatlos Named Among College Football's 25 Most Powerful Figures
