Peach Bowl CEO and President Gary Stokan to retire after football season
Gary Stokan, the president and CEO of Peach Bowl, Inc., will retire at the end of the 2025-26 college football season after two decades of leadership.
Peach Bowl, Inc. is the nonprofit that operates the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl, the college football bowl game played in Atlanta each year. The organization also operates the Aflac Kickoff Game, the Southern Company Peach Bowl Challenge charity golf tournament, and more.
“Leading Peach Bowl, Inc. has been the honor of my life,” Stokan said in a press release. “From building longstanding relationships to giving back to our community, I’ve been incredibly fortunate to work with an exceptional team, dynamic board, generous partners, and a passionate college football fan base.”
During Stokan’s tenure, the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl became the host of the College Football Playoff (CFP) quarterfinal and semifinal games. He also oversaw the relocation of the College Football Hall of Fame to Atlanta in 2009.
In 2008, Stokan started the Chick-fil-A Kickoff Game, now known as the Aflac Kickoff Game, which takes place on the opening weekend of the college football season at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. In that first game, Alabama defeated Clemson 34-10.
“Gary has always understood the power of relationships in college football,” Nick Saban,
former University of Alabama head coach and ESPN analyst, said in the release. “He believed in me early on at LSU, and in 2008, he gave Alabama a national stage with the first Chick-fil-A Kickoff Game. That moment helped shape our program, and it speaks to the lasting impact Gary’s vision has had on the sport.”
David Epps, the Peach Bowl, Inc. COO and SVP of Marketing, will take over for Stokan effective June 1, 2026.
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