Tennessee Wesleyan University President Dr. Tyler Forrest announced today the appointment of Jacob “Jake” Berry as the university’s new Vice President and Director of Athletics. Berry, an accomplished athletics administrator with extensive experience in strategic growth and student-athlete development, will lead TWU’s 21-sport intercollegiate athletics department. He is succeeding Mr. Donny Mayfield, who recently assumed the role of Appalachian Athletic Conference Commissioner after a 27-year career at Tennessee Wesleyan.

     Berry brings a proven track record of leadership across collegiate athletics, most recently serving as the Deputy Athletic Director for External Operations and Revenue Generation at the University of Indianapolis.

     “We are thrilled to welcome Jake Berry to the Bulldog family as our next Vice President and Director of Athletics,” said Dr. Tyler Forrest. “Throughout the search process, Jake distinguished himself as a dynamic, values-driven leader with a clear vision for advancing Bulldog Athletics. His proven expertise in revenue generation, facility enhancements, and external relations paired with a deep commitment to the academic and personal success of student-athletes makes him the ideal choice to lead our athletic department into its next chapter.”

      “I would also like to extend my sincere gratitude to search consultant Rob Miller with Comprehensive Athletic Consulting, our on-campus search committee, and the members of the campus community that dedicated their time and insight throughout this comprehensive national search. In addition, gratitude to Dr. Stan Harrison is also in order for his service as Interim Director of Athletics and his many years of dedicated service to Tennessee Wesleyan.”

     At the University of Indianapolis, Berry directed external operations and revenue strategies, achieving a 120% increase in corporate partnership revenue in his first year and significantly boosting annual giving engagement. He also helped spearhead major facility enhancements, including a $2 million dome replacement and comprehensive performance and branding upgrades while overseeing a marketing strategy that drove a 47% increase in athletic event attendance.

     Berry has also served as Senior Associate Athletic Director for External Operations and Revenue at Lenoir-Rhyne University, where he built a diversified revenue portfolio exceeding $500,000, managed sport administration across multiple programs, and led an external team that earned four National Association of Collegiate Marketing Administrators (NACMA) awards. His career also includes administrative and operational leadership roles at Appalachian State University and the University of West Georgia.

       Nationally, Berry serves on the advisory board and leads the marketing committee for the Business of Small College Athletics (BOSCA) and is an active member of the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA). He earned both his Bachelor of Science and Master of Science in Sport Management from the University of West Georgia.

     “It is truly humbling to be joining the Tennessee Wesleyan team,” said Berry. “I would like to thank Dr. Forrest and the TWU leadership team for their investment in this process and for the opportunity. I can’t wait to get to work with this outstanding group of coaches to build on the strong foundation of Bulldog Athletics and elevate our future. My wife Kaitlyn, my son Nolan, and I couldn’t be prouder to be Bulldogs.”

   Berry will officially begin his duties at Tennessee Wesleyan on January 1, 2027.