Chad Chatlos is managing partner of ZRG Turnkey’s Intercollegiate Athletics and National Football League division, where he leads executive leadership and coaching searches, organizational and operational design, and talent strategy for some of the most consequential roles in sports. His work sits at the intersection of leadership, enterprise strategy and organizational performance. He brings more than 20 years of experience spanning executive advisory, commercial enterprise, go-to-market strategy, revenue generation, sports marketing, live events, operations and organizational structure, giving clients a perspective that extends well beyond traditional executive search.​

Chatlos advises NFL franchise owners, conference and governing body boards, university presidents, C-suite executives and senior sports leaders as they navigate the legal, legislative and commercial forces reshaping sports. He helps clients define what leadership must deliver, assess operating and personnel models, align talent with strategy, and recruit leaders capable of creating long-term value and sustained success.​

His client and search portfolio includes the NCAA presidential search; commissioner searches for the Big Ten, Big 12 and American Conference; general manager searches for the Minnesota Vikings and Atlanta Falcons; NFL Players Association leadership; and head football coach searches for Texas, Ole Miss, Oklahoma, Indiana, Purdue, Michigan State, Auburn, Michigan, Arizona, Florida and Oklahoma State. He has also helped place more than 25 athletic directors nationwide.​

At ZRG Turnkey, Chatlos built and continues to lead a diverse team of executives serving clients across the sports industry. He combines deep access to leadership talent with direct experience in commercial growth, business development, sponsorship, events and operations. That range allows him to evaluate not only a candidate’s credentials, but also the leader’s ability to build trust, manage complexity, create revenue, strengthen culture and assemble championship-caliber teams, programs and enterprises on and off the field.​

Before ZRG Turnkey, Chatlos was a partner at Ventura Partners, where he built and expanded the firm's Sports & Entertainment Practice from 2016 to 2020. He grew the practice across professional and college sports, with a particular focus on the rapidly evolving business of intercollegiate athletics and football.​

He managed senior executive, athletic administration, coaching, revenue-generating and emerging personnel searches for organizations and universities including Ole Miss, Kansas State, Rutgers, Washington State, Utah, Purdue, Penn State, Texas A&M, Oklahoma and Nebraska. He developed the practice around senior-level client counsel, access to leadership talent and a more agile executive search model. ZRG Turnkey acquired Ventura Partners’ sports practice in December 2020, creating the platform for the division’s next phase of growth.​

From 2014 to 2016, Chatlos was a principal in Korn Ferry’s Global Sports Practice. He advised professional and college sports organizations on organizational and operational structure, business strategy, leadership, personnel and talent recruitment. His clients spanned the NFL, NBA, Major League Baseball, Major League Soccer, the NCAA, national governing bodies, major brands and leading universities. The role deepened his perspective on how governance, enterprise strategy and human capital intersect across different sports business models.​

From 2013 to 2014, Chatlos served as vice president at Engine Shop, now part of TGI Sport, where he oversaw integrated commercial strategy, sports and consumer marketing, experiential events and operations. He led the Atlanta team’s work across sports, entertainment, lifestyle, gaming, and culture, including sponsorships, branded entertainment, experiential campaigns, and live event activations for Mercedes-Benz, Tiffany & Co., Omega, and Anheuser-Busch.​

From 2011 to 2012, Chatlos served as vice president of event management and business development at LEADER Enterprises, where he drove business development and commercial enterprise initiatives for the sports marketing and events company. He also led major marketing events for TaylorMade, General Mills and other consumer brands, expanding his experience in client development, activation and event execution.​

From 2006 to 2011, Chatlos served as director of business development at Carey International, a global provider of premium mobility services and technology. He advanced strategic growth partnerships, market expansion and competitive analysis while selling and executing complex logistics programs for the NFL, NBA, PGA TOUR, the Masters Tournament and the U.S. Golf Association at major sporting events.​

Earlier, as an executive director with the PGA TOUR from 2001 to 2006, Chatlos directed the full commercial and operational management of multiple tournaments. He oversaw multimillion-dollar budgets, sponsorship sales and activation, business development, event operations, volunteer leadership and on-site execution. He served as the principal liaison among the PGA TOUR, corporate partners, host venues, players and community stakeholders, balancing commercial performance, partner value, player experience and charitable impact.​

Chatlos began his professional career as an aviation supply officer in the U.S. Marine Corps. From 1993 to 1999, he led teams, managed significant resources and budgets, supported high-stakes deployments and operated in mission-critical environments where readiness, accountability and execution were essential. He earned multiple meritorious decorations and developed the disciplined leadership, judgment under pressure and organizational responsibility that continue to shape his work.​

Since 2013, Chatlos has served on the National Advisory Committee for the SEAL Legacy Foundation. He supports the foundation’s work on behalf of the families of wounded and fallen U.S. Navy SEALs, including educational assistance and charitable initiatives for the SEAL community.​

USA TODAY Sports ranked Chatlos No. 13 on its 2026 list of the 25 most powerful people in college football, up from No. 19 in 2025. In 2023, Mercury News columnist Jon Wilner ranked him No. 4 among the 25 most influential people in college football.​

Chatlos earned a Bachelor of Science in economics from the United States Naval Academy and was commissioned as an officer in the U.S. Marine Corps. He played defensive back for Navy for four years, earned first-team all-conference honors and served as captain of the 1992 varsity football team.​