Thomas Walter Jernstedt (November 24, 1944 – September 6, 2020) was an American basketball administrator, working for the NCAA from 1972 until 2010.
[5] After graduation, Jernstedt spent two years in private business and then joined the athletic department at his alma mater, where he served in administrative positions between 1969 and 1972.
He is credited with guiding the NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship to what it is today.
He held a number of senior-level management positions over the next 29 years, culminating in his appointment in 2003 as executive vice president.
Jernstedt's duties included everything from managing events and overseeing branding to negotiating TV and corporate-sponsorship contracts.