The Coaching Carousel - The Do’s and Don’ts for Businesses

Every winter, the college football coaching carousel becomes one of the most dramatic leadership upheavals in American sports. In 2025, the carousel was particularly volatile. Multiple programs fired coaches earlier than expected, often mid-season, and then rushed into new hires within days. Boosters demanded decisive action; fans amplified pressure, and athletic directors made million-dollar moves under a microscope. 


For businesses, it’s easy to dismiss this annual churn as entertainment, but the reality is more nuanced. College football programs face the same leadership dilemmas that companies do - underperformance, culture challenges, stakeholder pressure, competitive threats, and the fear of losing momentum. The difference is that football programs confront these forces at hyper-speed - often making major personnel decisions in hours rather than months. 


This accelerated environment produces lessons, both good and bad, about how organizations respond when leadership is failing. Below are the Do’s and Don’ts businesses can take away from the way college football programs fire their coaches, and why they often rush into the next hire. 

 

  • DON’T: Fire Without a Succession Plan (Even If Pressure Mounts) 

One consistent theme from the 2025 season: several programs fired coaches with no clear successor in mind. 


UCLA’s dismissal of DeShaun Foster in just three games into the season was a perfect example. Foster was a high-profile alumnus with strong player relationships, but early losses led to escalating fan frustration and internal concerns about program direction. UCLA acted quickly to fire him, but doing so left the program scrambling for leadership and stability. They eventually hired Bob Chesney, who was a strong cultural fit, but the initial firing created unnecessary turbulence. 


Businesses often do the same thing. When a leader falters, the pressure to “do something” can eclipse the need for strategic succession. Boards and CEOs sometimes dismiss underperforming executives impulsively, leaving teams directionless and forcing rushed searches. 


Business takeaway: 
Before making a firing decision, especially under pressure, ensure you have: 

  • a temporary successor 
  • a vetted shortlist 
  • clarity on what the next leader must bring 
  • a transition plan for teams and clients 


Without this, you’re not solving a problem- you’re compounding it. 

 

  • DO: Define What Success Looks Like Before You Search 

A core crisis in many football firings is a lack of alignment between expectations and reality. Coaches are often fired not because they’re outright failures, but because the program never clearly defined what success meant. 


Look at LSU in 2025. Brian Kelly was fired despite a respectable record by national standards, but LSU boosters expected national contention every year. When performance slipped below that mark, the disconnect became untenable. Then, LSU got caught up in some unnecessary drama with misalignment from multiple stakeholders regarding who has hiring and firing authority. No wonder they never solved what “success” looked like. 

The same thing happens in business when leaders are hired under vague or overly ambitious expectations. If “success” means different things to stakeholders, the hire is set to fail. 


Business takeaway: 
Before starting your search: 

  • Define expectations concretely 
  • Align board and stakeholder vision 
  • Codify cultural priorities 


This ensures you hire for reality - not fantasy. 

 

  • DON’T: Hire in Haste Just to “Win the News Cycle”

College football programs care deeply about perception. When a head coach is fired, boosters and fans expect immediate reassurance. That leads to knee-jerk hires where the priority is speed and optics rather than fit.   


The 2025 carousel saw multiple programs rush hires within days of firing coaches, sometimes skipping broader searches.  Penn State was rumored to have engaged in serious discussions with 3 prospects, with all of them negotiating new deals with their current programs, before the Nittany Lions landed on Matt Campbell from Iowa State. 


Businesses do this too. After a public executive departure, companies sometimes hire quickly just to demonstrate control. But a fast hire that later fails is far more damaging than a slow, deliberate one. 


Business takeaway: 
Speed should never outrank strategy. A thoughtful process reassures stakeholders more than a rushed announcement ever will. 

 

  • DO: Learn From the Mistake and Adjust the Next Hire Accordingly

Some programs in 2025 demonstrated a valuable principle: the second decision can fix the first, if you learn from it. 

UCLA’s rehire after firing Foster showed clear reflection. Their initial hire emphasized emotional connection and recruiting upside. But the next move, hiring Bob Chesney, emphasized proven systems, clear identity, and cultural alignment. UCLA changed its criteria and recalibrated its expectations. 


Similarly, Stanford fired Troy Taylor earlier in the year following concerns about program direction and culture. Their next hire, Tavita Pritchard, was a past member of the Cardinal’s coaching staff known for stability and alignment with Stanford’s academic and philosophical identity.


Rather than repeating the same mistake, Stanford course corrected. 

Businesses often fail here. They fire a leader but then hire someone nearly identical, because the root cause of failure was never clearly articulated. 


Business takeaway: 
Post-mortem analysis is essential. Identify: 

  • What went wrong 
  • What was missing 
  • What stakeholders expected but didn’t receive 
  • What qualities matter most next time 


Then hire based on those insights - not simply on instinct. 

 

  • DON’T: Let Stakeholder Noise Dictate Decisions 

In college football, boosters, fans, media, and donors create a storm of pressure. This noise often accelerates firings or influences hires in unhealthy ways. 

Businesses face similar noise: activist investors, board factions, client concerns, internal politics, and public perception. 


Leaders who succumb to noise risk making short-term decisions that hurt long-term stability. 


Business takeaway: 
Listen to stakeholders, but don’t let them drive the process.
Data, fit, and long-term strategy must guide leadership hiring. 

 

  • DO: Leverage Internal Talent When Stability Matters More Than Splash 

Amid the chaos of 2025, some programs opted for internal stability rather than external splash. 

While many schools chased headline-grabbing hires, others elevated coordinators and internal staff who already had trust equity with players.


These transitions, including schools that promoted assistants after mid-season firings, created continuity in an environment where change was everywhere. 


Business takeaway: 

The flashy external hire is not always the right one. Internal candidates often bring: 

  • Quicker adaptation 
  • Stronger cultural alignment 
  • Built-in trust 
  • Reduced onboarding risk 

Especially after a turbulent departure, stability can be more valuable than novelty. 

 

  • DON’T: Underestimate the Ripple Effects of Leadership Turnover 

Firing in college football isn’t isolated. It affects: 

  • Recruiting 
  • Donor confidence 
  • Locker room morale 
  • Staff retention 
  • Public perception 


The same is true in business. Leadership changes impact: 

  • Client relationships 
  • Employee engagement 
  • Brand reputation 
  • Productivity 
  • Strategic continuity 


Business takeaway: 

Programs that manage these effects proactively, communicate openly, support interim leaders, and maintain messaging discipline reduce fallout. 

Businesses need to treat leadership transitions as enterprise-level events, not HR procedures. 

 


The 2025 college football season demonstrated how high-pressure environments reveal the strengths and flaws of leadership decision-making. Businesses can learn from both the impulsive mistakes and intentional successes that football programs showed this year. 

If businesses apply these lessons, they’ll avoid the chaos of the coaching carousel, while benefiting from the clarity it provides about leadership, culture, and long-term success. 

 


By Effie Zimmerman April 30, 2026
Director of Product Management ABOUT THE COMPANY A-dec is the premium leader in the dental equipment industry, designing and manufacturing products that span dental chairs, lights, handpieces, furniture, air management, infection control, and delivery systems found in dental offices and operatories. With over 1300 employees and headquartered in Newberg, Oregon, A-dec’s familial culture and values have been attributed to their commitment to the Newberg community and its employees through various investments and programs. ABOUT THE POSITION Reporting into the SVP of Product & Technology, the Director, Global Product Management leads teams that manage all A-dec products, including dental furniture, consumables, and core equipment (chairs, units, lights). They direct the strategic vision and purpose and are responsible for the long-term financial performance of A-dec’s product portfolio. Critical functions for this position include roadmap development, voice of the customer process, portfolio execution, roadmap execution, and the product section of the company’s business strategy. DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES Creates the vision and purpose of Product Management. Leads all product management activities for the existing product lines within A-dec Builds and leads a diverse, high-performing product management team. Provides mentorship, support, and guidance, and encourages professional growth and development. Champions the strategic vision and purpose for Product Management across the organization. Implement strategic and tactical plans to meet the company’s objectives while exceeding customer needs. Maintains a constant pulse of dental equipment market developments, including consumer needs, competitive offerings, and brand position. Takes proactive measures to remain competitive with the existing portfolio. Follows industry trends and conducts capability analysis regularly. Executes competitive assessments and market research to gain market and buying preference and insights. Understands and articulates the voice of the customer. Makes tradeoff comparisons to drive decisions that deliver on success criteria. Accountable for concept development selection. Develop strategies in collaboration with Global Sales Team leaders to drive market share growth. Collaborates with Marketing Communications to plan, direct, and execute measurable global actions to drive brand awareness, preference, and demand generation necessary for achieving growth goals. Collaborates with Digital Product Management to ensure complete end-to-end solutions. Reviews revenue and profits on a weekly basis and suggests approaches to marketing and sales to drive growth. Responsible for overall product promotions and analyzing the revenue/net margin trade-offs. Accountable for the standard margins of the portfolio; pricing, positioning, and margins. Works across organizational boundaries to develop a cohesive strategy and ensures smooth execution of cross-functional plans within A-dec. Leads the future portfolio planning with their leadership. QUALIFICATIONS Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities Extensive project management experience. Excellent presentation, communication, and customer skills. Proven leadership skills and effective problem-solving skills. Demonstrated experience in planning, budgeting, and developing business strategies. Ability to influence up, down, and across the organization. Education and Experience Bachelor’s degree in engineering, business management, or a similar focus. Five years of experience in product management. Five years of people leadership experience. Experience and understanding of the “Chief Engineer/Project Chief” methodology or practice. Preferred Experience Master’s degree in business administration. Experience with strategic planning and managing a category P&L in excess of $100 Million. Interested in Learning More? 180one has been retained by A-dec to manage this search. If interested in learning more about the opportunity, please contact Lisa Heffernan / 971.256.3076/ lisa@180one.com .
By Effie Zimmerman April 29, 2026
Chief Financial Officer ABOUT THE COMPANY Three Bears Alaska (“Three Bears” or the “Company”) is the retailer of choice in Alaska for all essential categories, offering local communities a product selection that is not too big, not too small, but “just right” – at prices that provide value and with great service by locals, for locals. The Company was founded in 1980 by Alaskans, for Alaskans – the store footprints, inventory, and pricing are designed to meet the region’s unique needs. Three Bears offers its customers three types of shopping experiences: signature “Mini-Warehouses” (50k+ square feet with a unique, rationalized merchandise assortment model featuring grocery, outdoor/sporting products and full-service pharmacies), Supermarkets (focus is on grocery) and Convenience Stores (offer a broader merchandise selection and better pricing than a typical C-store and serve communities where population densities do not support a full mini-warehouse). Three Bears is owned by Westward Partners in partnership with the founding Alaskan family. Westward Partners is a Seattle-based private equity firm that partners with lower middle market businesses across a variety of industries based in the Pacific Northwest and Alaska. Westward partnered with and invested in Three Bears in early 2022, and has worked extensively with the Three Bears management team to successfully turbocharge growth, more than doubling the store footprint over the past four years. At this point in time, Three Bears has shifted gears from a growth mindset to a focus on margin improvement and optimization. As the new stores begin to reach run-rate and Three Bears fully digests and acclimates to its significantly larger scale and methods of operating, management in partnership with Westward has begun to employ a host of profitability improvement initiatives. The new CFO will have a significant role in managing, executing, and tracking these initiatives, as well as the continual development of new initiatives. It’s an exciting time to join Three Bears for an analytically minded senior finance professional who has a deep understanding of how to maximize gross and EBITDA margins (and absolute EBITDA dollars) in a retail/grocery environment. POSITION SUMMARY As a key member of the executive team and reporting to the CEO, the Chief Financial Officer (CFO) will assume a strategic role in the overall management of the company. The CFO will proactively engage in all areas of the Confidential Company OR “Company”, to bring data and insights, and importantly serve as a key business partner to the CEO and other Senior Leadership. This leader will have primary day-to-day responsibility for planning, implementing, managing, and controlling all financial-related activities of the company. This will include direct responsibility for accounting, finance, treasury, legal, and compliance. CORE RESPONSIBILITIES Assist the CEO and management team in achieving the company's growth and profitability targets: Assist with the facilitation and development of the Company vision, strategy, and planning needed to ensure the success of the organization. Develop and manage financial strategy. Serve as a business partner across functional areas to inform key decisions. Exceed profitability targets through operational excellence and growth in new markets. Advise management on short-term and long-term financial objectives, policies, and actions. Provide reliable forecasting and business intelligence that fuels effective decision-making: Analyze the financial details of past, present, and expected operations in order to identify development opportunities in areas where improvement is needed. Develop analysis to evaluate entry into new markets. Study long-range economic trends and project their impact on future growth in sales and market share Utilize and add to existing analytical tools (data warehouse, PowerBI tools, etc.) to efficiently convey KPIs, reports, and financials in a timely manner at all levels of the organization Exercise good financial management practices and accountability: Ensure company financials comply with GAAP, while also producing useful financial data and KPI metrics to provide senior management with critical business insights. Run a proactive and efficient budget cycle, helping the company tie its investment thesis to its strategy, operational KPIs, and financial forecasts. Make KPIs the centerpiece of the company's performance planning and dashboards. Hold peers accountable. Develop and manage the capital structure Review, oversee and present monthly, quarterly, and annual financial performance reviews. Lead the company’s compliance function with a proactive and business approach, and standardize into business practices: Monitor financial activities to ensure that all legal and regulatory requirements are met Lead the company's compliance auditing program. Proactively identify and resolve potential compliance issues before they manifest. Maintain current knowledge of organizational policies and procedures, federal and state policies / directives. Manage contract renewals and new company contracts to ensure pricing and terms are aligned with business requirements. Manage and maintain contract database to ensure compliance. Develop and maintain internal control program infrastructure throughout the organization Effectively represent the company with external stakeholders: Develop and maintain relationships with banking, insurance, benefits, 401k, and external third-party audit and tax partners. Review, oversee and present financial statements, business activity reports, financial position forecasts, and reports required by regulatory agencies and external stakeholders. DESIRED QUALIFICATIONS, SKILLS, AND EXPERIENCE Bachelor’s degree (MA/MBA preferred) in Accounting or Finance. 15+ years of progressively responsible finance/accounting experience in a high growth grocery/retail organization. Knowledge of finance, accounting, budgeting, and cost control principles including Generally Accepted Accounting Principles. Experience in strategic planning and execution. Ability to analyze financial data and prepare financial reports, statements, 3-statement financial projections, write MD&As, and deep understanding of cash flow forecasting, down to weekly basis. Extensive experience developing multi-faceted bottoms-up company budgets through partnership with internal management team members throughout various levels of the organization, as well incorporating external input and feedback (i.e. a private equity sponsor). Experience managing a levered business and dealing with bank covenants. Demonstrable experience leading and achieving cost savings and profitability improvement initiatives that have made a material impact on the organization by increasing EBITDA over time. Experience and know-how for scaling a growing organization, and anticipating staffing, infrastructural and procedural requirements for a larger business. Ability to deliver board-level financial presentations that accurately summarize business for investors, bankers and vendors. Prior experience with a private equity-owned portfolio company or experience in leading a company through a successful exit is highly desirable. Experience managing the acquisition process and integration of complementary businesses. Experience implementing new accounting software and integrating with broader ERP systems. Knowledge of contracting, negotiating, and change management. Knowledge of automated financial and accounting reporting systems. Experience as a liaison between company accountants, state, and government entities for financial audits. Excellent verbal and written communication skills. Accuracy and attention to detail is a must. High level of integrity and dependability with a strong sense of urgency and results orientation. Unquestionable personal code of ethics, integrity, diversity and trust. Interested in Learning More? 180one has been retained by Three Bears Alaska to manage this search. If interested in learning more about the opportunity, please contact Tom Haley / 503.334.1350/ tom@180one.com
By Effie Zimmerman April 20, 2026
Corporate Controller ABOUT THE COMPANY With roots going back to the 1960’s, Forest City Trading Group (FCTG), may have started as a small lumber yard run by two immigrant brothers, but has since grown into North America’s largest wholesale lumber product distributor. FCTG facilitates the distribution of products across 6 continents through our network of 12 operating companies and over 750 employees. The company’s impact is far-reaching, especially when considering that one in every ten houses today is built using products sourced and sold by our operating companies. As proponents of forest sustainability, FCTG actively supports suppliers who use sustainable forest management practices that promote forest sustainability and result in long-term environmental, social, and economic benefits. POSITION SUMMARY Reporting directly to the Chief Financial Officer (CFO), the Corporate Controller is a senior finance leader and trusted business partner to the CFO and management team. This role owns the integrity of the Company's accounting, reporting, and control environment while advancing the finance function through improved processes, disciplined decision-making, and effective deployment of technology. This is a hands-on leadership role. The Controller will operate in the details with responsibility for managing the full accounting cycle for corporate and operating companies, commodity position accounting, physical and financial settlement, and daily treasury operations—while building a scalable, high-performing finance organization. The role also operates in a matrixed environment, requiring strong influence skills to align and uplevel financial operations across Operating Companies, and partners closely with the trading desk, risk management, operations, legal, and external auditors. CORE RESPONSIBILITIES Leadership & Culture Build, lead, and develop a high-performing corporate accounting and finance team Foster a positive, accountable culture at the corporate and Operating Company levels Hire, develop, and retain talented accounting, treasury, and shared services professionals Serve as a stabilizing force during system change, organizational growth, or market volatility Assess subsidiary finance capabilities; develop structured plans to up-level talent, processes, and controls Business Partnership & Cross-Functional Influence Serve as a key finance partner to the CFO, Operating Company Controllers, and operations leadership Lead through influence in a matrixed environment—aligning subsidiary Controllers around corporate standards without relying on direct authority Translate financial information into clear, actionable insights for corporate and subsidiary audiences Collaborate with the trading desk to ensure accounting treatment aligns with economic reality and business intent Technical & Functional Oversight Financial reporting and accounting, including trader compensation, commodity futures, and mark-to-market accounting Daily treasury operations and internal cash/collateral management Tax coordination and oversight, including pass-through partnership structures Budgeting, forecasting, and financial planning Internal controls, risk management, and policy oversight Foreign exchange and cross-currency hedging for international procurement and sales Shared services leadership: expense approvals, vendor setup, purchase order controls, and finance policies Decision Support & Systems Apply cost-benefit and ROI thinking to financial and operational decisions Drive automation of routine reporting workflows to free capacity for higher-value analysis Lead ERP implementation and optimization; evaluate best-practice accounting policies as the business evolves Subsidiary Finance Uplift Establish a structured approach to evaluating financial maturity across Operating Companies Develop and maintain a corporate finance playbook that subsidiary Controllers can adopt and execute Provide hands-on coaching and technical guidance to Operating Company finance teams Drive consistent consolidation standards, intercompany accounting, and reporting cadences across subsidiaries Identify and escalate risks in subsidiary financial operations before they affect corporate reporting integrity KEY ATTRIBUTES Trusted Leader & Business Partner: Close thought partner to the CFO; credible with Operating Company Controllers, traders, and senior management. Leads with integrity, sound judgment, and practical business sense. Relationship Builder & Matrix Navigator: Builds trust-based relationships across corporate and subsidiary teams. Leads through influence rather than direct authority in a matrixed environment. Subsidiary Uplift Leader: Assesses and elevates Operating Company finance capabilities through coaching, playbooks, and structured engagement—raising the bar on controls, talent, and reporting quality. Hands-On & Detail-Oriented: Ensures accuracy and follow-through across all finance processes. Process & Technology Focused: Continuously seeks better ways to operate. Leverages ERP and other tools to improve efficiency and data quality; leads system implementation and optimization. Positive, Accountable Leader: Creates a high-accountability finance culture at both corporate and subsidiary levels. Leads by example and develops strong teams. IDEAL CANDIDATE PROFILE Leadership Track Record: Demonstrated ability to build high-performing finance teams Matrix Leadership: Proven success in influencing and driving change without direct authority over Operating Company teams Relationship Builder: Naturally builds trust across organizational levels—someone subsidiaries want to partner with, not just report to Strategic and Tactical Range: Operates at a senior level strategically and at the transactional level when the business requires it Technology Proficiency: Demonstrated curiosity and initiative in experimenting with and adopting emerging technologies (including AI) to enhance financial reporting, forecasting, and process efficiency Change Leadership: Comfortable reassessing processes and building scalable financial infrastructure from a hands-on starting point Integrity & Judgment: High personal integrity and sound judgment in ambiguous, fast-moving environments Interested in Learning More? 180one has been retained by Forest City Trading Group to manage this search. If interested in learning more about the opportunity, please contact Tom Haley / 503.334.1350/ tom@180one.com
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