#91: Brian Thornton is the Commissioner of the Western Athletic Conference, also known as the WAC.

Brian joined the WAC following one year as associate commissioner for basketball at the American Athletic Conference. He joined the American after two year as assistant director for basketball development at the NCAA National Office. 

Before working at the NCAA he was an assistant basketball coach at places like Xavier, Furman, Winthrop, & Ball State. 

Thornton was a standout men's basketball player at Xavier University, where he was the 2005 and 2006 Atlantic 10 Student-Athlete of the Year, a Academic All-America selection and was a first-team all-conference pick for the Musketeers' 2006 Atlantic 10 championship team. He began his playing career at Vanderbilt University, where he was an SEC all-freshman selection in 2002 and played professionally for the Artland Dragons for the Basketball Bundesliga in Germany from 2006-07.

On the show Brian dives into his story, his experiences playing at Vanderbilt, Xavier, and professionally, how hard work is a skill, timing, taking risk, caring for others, developing buy in, trying new things, and much more. 

As I mention in the show, I was fortunate enough to have the opportunity to be around him while I was a freshman in college and everything he says he lives. Great leaders don’t just talk the talk they walk it and Brian Thornton certainly does that. 

I could not thing of a better way to start off the Building Excellence in 2023. Enjoy the show!