IPTAY CEO Davis Babb To Retire June 30, 2026

A Note From IPTAY Board Of Directors President Rett Rutland

Clemson Family,

Over the past year, the IPTAY Board of Directors has been working closely with CEO Davis Babb on preparing for IPTAY’s future. In 2022, Davis signed a contract that would take him through his retirement at the end of the IPTAY 2026 year, June 30, 2026. As we have entered the 2026 calendar year, we wanted to inform you as these plans begin to take shape.

In the fall, I, along with Davis, informed the IPTAY staff and members of the campus community that the process of finding IPTAY’s next leader would begin in early 2026. The IPTAY Board of Directors is now initiating this search and has engaged Parker Executive Search to assist in this process. We are now launching the public phase of our search for the organization’s next CEO.

We wanted you, the IPTAY membership, to be aware of the start of this process. We are incredibly grateful for Davis’s service to the organization since 2013, as well as all that IPTAY has accomplished during that time. We are confident that, due to IPTAY’s success, we are well-positioned to attract a talented candidate pool. This is attributed to the commitment that you make as an IPTAY member each year. I invite you to read more below on the many accomplishments IPTAY has seen during Davis’s tenure.

As we move forward, please be aware that there are several important priorities crucial to IPTAY’s success, including the February 15 50% deadline, the football season ticket application process, the rollout of IPTAY’s loyalty program, and more. Davis will continue to lead the IPTAY organization as it moves towards the goals set forth for the fiscal year. After June 30, Davis will remain available in an advisory capacity to support the new CEO and the organization.

We are excited for Davis and his wife, Anne, to begin this next chapter, as they will be able to spend time visiting their children and grandchildren and enjoying all that retirement has to offer. As you see Davis and Anne at events in the coming months, I encourage you to wish them well and thank Davis for his contributions to IPTAY over the last 13 years.

The IPTAY Board of Directors looks forward to sharing more with you as this search progresses, and thanks you for your continued support of Clemson student-athletes.

Go Tigers!

Rett Rutland –President, IPTAY Board of Directors

IPTAY CEO Davis Babb To Retire June 30, 2026

CLEMSON, SC – IPTAY CEO Davis Babb announced that he will retire from his position at the end of the IPTAY 2026 Fiscal Year, June 30, 2026. Babb has served in this capacity since 2013, when he came to Clemson and became the organization’s first CEO under the current structure.

Babb’s tenure as CEO has helped IPTAY grow to new heights with significant increases annually in annual giving, major gifts, the addition of premium seating, facility growth and expansion, and increased support provided to Clemson Athletics and the hundreds of student-athletes that IPTAY supports.

“I am incredibly grateful to have been welcomed into the Clemson Family and to serve this organization since 2013,” said Davis Babb. “I am thankful for the trust the IPTAY Board of Directors instilled in me to help guide this organization over the last 13 years. I am proud of what has been accomplished during this time and would like to extend my gratitude to each IPTAY member who has been an integral part of this team for many years. Clemson is a special place because of the people, and the success of Clemson Athletics depends on the support of each of these individuals.”

During Babb’s time at Clemson, he helped implement the Athletic Cornerstone Partner Program, which was formed to focus on growing the athletic endowment. Beginning in 2015, the Cornerstone program now has 28 donors who have made 36 gifts of $2.5M or more totaling more than $165 million. This program has helped change the trajectory of Clemson Athletics.

In 2013, the IPTAY organization raised $26.6 million. In the most recent fiscal year, ending June 30, 2025, the One IPTAY enterprise totaled $88.09 million. During Babb’s oversight of the IPTAY organization, the Clemson Athletic fundraising arm has totaled over $888M in contributions to support Clemson Athletics.

Since Babb’s first year at IPTAY, the IPTAY Annual Fund total giving has doubled, major gift annual totals have continually increased, and the IPTAY organization has grown exponentially. In this time, Clemson has won National Championships, multiple ACC Championships, set records in the classroom with team GPAs and APR scores, started four new athletic programs, and built or renovated over 15 facilities.

“Davis Babb has provided incredible leadership for IPTAY and has been a trusted partner for the past 13 years, which has been transformational for Clemson,” said Director of Athletics Graham Neff. “Davis’s love of Clemson and willingness to adapt and modernize has made a major impact on the student-athlete experience, donor engagement, academic accomplishment, and health and wellness. We are so appreciative of Davis and Anne and their family, and wish them all the best in the future.”

“I thank our Director of Athletics, Graham Neff, for his continued support of IPTAY,” said Babb. “His leadership has continued to guide Clemson Athletics and IPTAY’s support to unprecedented levels. The Clemson Athletic and IPTAY relationship remains strong, and I know that Graham’s commitment to IPTAY will continue to prove valuable during the search for IPTAY’s next leader.”

“Davis’s leadership has continued to elevate IPTAY as a leader in the collegiate athletic fundraising space,” said IPTAY Board of Directors President Rett Rutland. “We thank Davis for his leadership since 2013, and I look forward to continuing to work with Davis throughout this transition and beyond.”

IPTAY will engage with Parker Executive Search to find the organization’s next CEO.