Tanner Gardner - Pepperdine Athletic Director on Daily Disciplines of Excellence
Episode 254 of the Building Excellence podcast, hosted by Bailey Miles, titled "Tanner Gardner - Pepperdine Athletic Director on Daily Disciplines of Excellence" was published on March 23, 2026 and runs 45 minutes.
March 23, 2026 ·45m · Building Excellence
Summary
#254: Tanner Gardner is the Director of Athletics at Pepperdine University and a former three-time All-American wrestler at Stanford, where he built a legacy of excellence both academically and athletically. After earning advanced degrees from Stanford and an MBA from Harvard, Gardner began his career in consulting before rising through leadership roles in college athletics, including serving as Deputy Athletic Director and COO at Rice University. Known for his mission-driven leadership, he f...
Episode Description
#254: Tanner Gardner is the Director of Athletics at Pepperdine University and a former three-time All-American wrestler at Stanford, where he built a legacy of excellence both academically and athletically. After earning advanced degrees from Stanford and an MBA from Harvard, Gardner began his career in consulting before rising through leadership roles in college athletics, including serving as Deputy Athletic Director and COO at Rice University. Known for his mission-driven leadership, he focuses on building championship programs rooted in character, faith, and long-term development, with a strong emphasis on developing student-athletes into leaders who excel both in competition and in life.