Chief Operating Officer
South College
Knoxville, TN
Bradley A. Adams, MAcc, CPA, CIA, PMP is a senior higher-education executive with more than 25 years of leadership experience spanning operations, finance, governance, and large-scale organizational growth. He currently serves as Chief Operating Officer at South College, where he works directly with the Chancellor to oversee the institution's day-to-day operations. During his tenure, South College has grown from approximately 1,000 students to more than 20,000, expanded from 200 employees to over 4,000 full-time equivalents, and opened 10 campuses across seven states. He directly supervises campus presidents and senior vice presidents, negotiates key institutional contracts, and represents the college in federal regulatory processes, including serving as the primary negotiator during the 2022 U.S. Department of Education negotiated rulemaking.
Previously, Mr. Adams served as Chief Financial Officer of South College, leading finance, IT, admissions, and financial aid operations while driving major system implementations, strengthening liquidity through more than $50 million in additional credit capacity, and delivering financial growth. Before higher education, he held senior leadership roles at the Tennessee Valley Authority, where he directed capital allocation and financial oversight for billions in annual expenditures. He earlier served as Corporate Controller for a national retail organization and as a Senior Associate with PricewaterhouseCoopers, including international SOX leadership assignments.
Mr. Adams holds a Master of Accountancy and Bachelor of Science in Accounting from the University of Tennessee, has completed executive leadership training at Vanderbilt University, and is currently a Doctor of Business Administration Capstone candidate at South College. He is a Certified Public Accountant, Certified Internal Auditor, and Project Management Professional. His professional honors include being a Leadership Knoxville graduate, recognition as a Top 40 Under 40, and being named Financial Executive of the Year for mid-size companies. He is actively involved in community and nonprofit governance, including service on finance and civic boards in Knoxville.