In this episode of Case Studies, Casey sits down with Taylor Randall, the 17th president of the University of Utah and former dean of the David Eccles School of Business. With a background as a distinguished economist and academic leader, Taylor brings deep insight into what it takes to lead major institutions through growth, innovation, and cultural transformation.
He shares the leadership principles that guided his decade-long transformation of the Eccles School into a nationally recognized and fast growing business program, and discusses how those same values now shape his presidency at the University of Utah. The conversation explores how to build momentum in complex systems, why fast decision making matters, and how to lead with both humility and urgency in high stakes environments.
Casey and Taylor unpack topics ranging from academic innovation and public university strategy to entrepreneurship, economics, and the future of higher education.
00:00 | Welcome & Introduction to Taylor Randall
01:14 | Growing Up at the University of Utah
03:10 | Early Career at Arthur Andersen
05:01 | Wharton Years & Ambitious Peers
06:13 | Academic Curiosity & Consulting for MLB
07:34 | Why Chaos Creates Opportunity
08:31 | PhD Research on Global Operations Strategy
10:27 | Turning Down Chicago to Return to Utah
11:27 | Venture Fund & Breaking the Classroom Model
13:37 | How AI Disrupts and Enhances Higher Ed
14:42 | Launching Lassonde Studios & Student Startups
16:59 | Building Immersive, Purpose-Driven Experiences
18:50 | Early 2000s Venture Fund Success & Lessons
20:31 | Inspiration Behind the Entrepreneurial Institute
21:57 | Reimagining the Classroom-Incubator Hybrid
22:07 | Teaming Up with Futurists and Architects
23:39 | Becoming Dean During the Financial Crisis
24:18 | Privatizing the Business School Model
27:36 | Program Innovation & Specialized Master’s Degrees
30:48 | Education as a Confidence Catalyst
32:25 | Mentorship, Mistakes & Growth Moments
34:59 | Considering Life After Academia
36:15 | Presidential Application Process & Headwinds in Higher Ed
38:33 | Interviewing for President During COVID
40:13 | Behind Utah’s Nationally Ranked COVID Response
43:36 | Lessons from the Pandemic Response Team
45:43 | Understanding the University of Utah as a $9B Enterprise
47:02 | Medical Education, Research, and Clinical Trials
50:36 | Breakthroughs in Neurobionics & HIV Prevention
52:04 | University-Owned Businesses & Innovation Ecosystem
53:16 | Huntsman Cancer Institute’s Impact on Utah County
54:50 | Collaborative Vision Across Utah’s Higher Ed Institutions
55:22 | Proxima: Creating Healthcare Career Pathways
57:54 | UVU, First-Gen Students & The Promise of Education
59:11 | Executive Education & Adapting to a Changing Market
59:26 | The Future of College Sports & Athlete Compensation
01:03:20 | Sustainable Models for College Athletics
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