Tractor Supply Company’s Greg Sandfort named CEO-in-residence in College of Business
Lipscomb business students have the opportunity to learn from executives who share their expertise as part of in-residence program.
Kim Chaudoin |
Lipscomb University’s College of Business has named longtime Tractor Supply Company executive Greg Sandfort a CEO-in-residence beginning in January 2021.
Sandfort served as chief executive officer of Tractor Supply from May 2016 to January 2020 and as president and chief executive officer of the company from December 2012 to May 2016. He has served as strategic advisor of Tractor Supply Company since January 2020 and as a member of the board of directors since February 2013. In his role at Lipscomb, Sandfort will share his experiences and expertise with undergraduate and graduate students in their capstone business courses.
“Greg Sandfort is a well respected businessman and has led a company that is known for its commitment to servant leadership, which is a foundational pillar of the College of Business,” said Ray Eldridge, dean of Lipscomb’s College of Business. “He is passionate about the value of servant leadership and will be an inspirational role model for our students. Greg’s interaction with our students will provide them with a unique opportunity to learn from a leader who has embodied one of the values we emphasize and brings it to life for them. Being able to spend time with someone of Greg’s caliber is a rare opportunity for any aspiring young business leader.”
Sandfort began his tenure at Tractor Supply Company in November 2007, also having served as president and chief operating officer of the Tractor Supply Company and prior to that as president and chief merchandising officer, after having served as executive vice president – chief merchandising officer. He said he looks forward to the opportunity to share his experiences with business students.
“I have always enjoyed sharing my many years of learning with students and young executives in an effort to help them avoid the mistakes that I made early in my business career,” said Sandfort. “I believe that anything I can share with them will shorten the learning curve and is a win for everyone! The students also seem to enjoy the stories I share with them. Some are amazed at what I have experienced.”
He said Lipscomb’s College of Business shares a similar approach to business.
“My knowledge of Lipscomb University’s College of Business is that the teachings are faith-based which place ethics first, above all else and then ‘doing the right thing by others’ a close second,” said Sandfort. “Lipscomb understands that tomorrow's business leaders must be true to themselves and the employees they are entrusted to care for and not just focus on financial gain and quarterly results as the primary measures for success. In my 42 years in business I have found that people are what make organizations successful. Engaged, motivated and happy employees deliver the best results!”
Prior to his work with Tractor Supply Company, Sandfort served as president and chief operating officer from March 2006 to August 2007 and as executive vice president – general merchandise manager from January 2004 to February 2006 at Michaels Stores, Inc. With over 40 years of experience in the retail industry, Sandfort brings a wealth of knowledge regarding all facets of retail, including merchandising, marketing, brand management, operations, strategic planning, human resource management and logistics. His broad-based experience in the retail industry, understanding of customer dynamics and shifting consumer preferences and detailed knowledge of Tractor Supply have been important in the development and execution of the Company’s ONETractor strategy. Sandfort has also served as a director of WD-40 Company since 2011 and was formerly a director of Kirkland’s,Inc.
Sandfort is deeply committed to the value of a servant leadership mindset in an organization.
“Servant leadership is a concept of humility that places others before oneself. It is all about serving those, who serve those, who serve those...the upside down pyramid is the classic illustration of how Servant Leadership should work,” said Sandfort. “The leader of the organization is at the point of the pyramid and at the bottom. As you move upward on the pyramid it becomes wider and eventually includes everyone else in the organization including the lowest level of employee.”
“The bottom of the pyramid serves the level above and so on,” he continued. “True leaders never think of themselves first, but rather place emphasis on everyone else. This concept of leadership promotes transparency and builds trust within an organization … these are key to driving success in any business.”
A major component of the College of Business’ approach to education is to provide opportunities for students to interact with business leaders. Sandfort is the sixth business executive to be “in residence” in Lipscomb’s College of Business. Others with in-residence appointments include: Kevin Monroe, retired Deloitte partner and professional practice director and chair of the Tennessee State Board of Accountancy; Sue Nokes, retired senior executive at Asurian, T-Mobile and Walmart.com. among others; Burt Nowers, former co-founder and CFO of AIM Healthcare and retired president of Healing Hands International; Phil Pfeffer, president and CEO of Treemont Capital Inc. and retired CEO of the Ingram Distribution Group Inc. and Random House Inc.; Ernest Silva, retired CEO of Coca-Cola FEMSA, Mexico Division; and Joe Slawek, founder, CEO and chairman of FONA International.
Lipscomb University’s College of Business
The College of Business at Lipscomb University is recognized nationally as a leader in business education. In February, the College of Business was named one of ten undergraduate business schools in the nation to watch in 2020 by Poets & Quants for Undergrads, the leading online publication for undergraduate business education news. In December 2019, it was ranked for the fourth consecutive year the top undergrad program in Tennessee and to be ranked nationally. Lipscomb jumped from 86th to 46th in the 2020 Best Undergraduate Business Schools ranking, considered the most comprehensive assessment of undergraduate business programs in the country. In the 2020 P&Q alumni survey, Lipscomb graduates were asked how likely they were to recommend their alma mater on a scale of 1-10 (with 10 being the highest possible score). Lipscomb scored a near-perfect 9.93 average.
The College of Business’s accounting program was ranked the top program in Tennessee and among the top 10 percent in the nation in the 2019 College Factual rankings. It is the third year Lipscomb’s accounting program has been named the top program in Tennessee. The department of accounting also earned a ranking of 14th in the nation and number one in the state of Tennessee for the second consecutive year for Best Accounting Programs for Veterans. The college has been named the No. 1 Undergraduate Business Program in Tennessee in 2016 and 2017 by both Bloomberg Business Week and Poets & Quants and the No. 2 part-time MBA program in Tennessee in 2016 by Bloomberg Business Week. In addition, it was named the No. 1 accounting program in Tennessee and No. 2 in the nation in 2017 by Christian Universities Online.
Fully accredited by the Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs, one of the two largest business-accrediting bodies in the world, Lipscomb University’s College of Business is recognized throughout the region and the nation as an outstanding source of highly skilled and highly trustworthy business leaders.
The College of Business offers a Bachelor of Business Administration degree and undergraduate degrees in accounting, finance, management and marketing. Graduate studies programs include the Master of Business Administration, Master of Accountancy, Master of Health Care Administration (MHA) and Master of Management: Health Care.