Choose a Staff Member: Alex Skandalis, John Brammer / BECOMING AN OFFICIAL?, INTERESTED IN Boston, Bella Clark, Ed Crowley, Tim Day, Mary Herrington, Mark LaDew, Stacey Rudolph, Eric St. Clair, John Tullis, Mark Ward, Paige Jay Gardiner Title Commissioner Email Phone 404-364-8414 Joseph (Jay) Gardiner was named the first commissioner of the Southern Athletic Association in January of 2012. Prior to accepting the commissioner’s post, Gardiner served as athletics director at Oglethorpe University for eight years. During his time at Oglethorpe, Gardiner oversaw facilities upgrades and funding improvements for all 16 Division III varsity sports. Prior to Oglethorpe, Gardiner spent nine years in Division I as associate athletics director for Tulane University and Miami University (Ohio). While serving as a member of their athletic departments’ management teams, Gardiner was responsible for leading their athletics fundraising efforts, raising in excess of $35 million during his tenure. Earlier in his career, Gardiner was athletics director at Division II Bellarmine University in Kentucky and Division III St. Mary’s College of Maryland where he coached men’s basketball and women’s tennis. In 1991, after his St. Mary’s men’s basketball team captured the conference title, he was recognized as the Capital Athletic Conference (CAC) coach of the year. He served as president of the CAC in 1992-93. Gardiner is a 1979 graduate of McDaniel College and earned a master’s degree from Bowie State in 1988.