Anderson grew up in San Francisco and attended Abraham Lincoln High School,[3] where he was a multi-sport athlete. He is a 1979 graduate of San Francisco State University with a bachelor's degree in political science. After a stint as a high school football coach, Anderson attended the Sports Management Institute's executive management program and the new manager school at Xerox.
Anderson's first athletic director position was at the United States Military Academy, where he directed the Army Black Knights from 2004 to 2010. At Army, Anderson was responsible for a 25-sport program, and an annual budget of $25 million, that served more than 900 cadet-athletes.[4][5]
On September 24, 2009, Anderson fired Jim Crews, head basketball coach, from Army.[7][8]
Maryland
Anderson's Maryland athletic director contract was initially for five years (2010–2015) at $401,015 annually, with up to $50,000 collectively in incentives for athletes' graduation rates and academic achievements, athletic fund-raising, and team success.[9] Among significant events during his tenure:
On December 21, 2010, Anderson fired Maryland head football coach Ralph Friedgen, who was that season's ACC Coach of the Year.[10]
On January 2, 2011, Anderson hired Randy Edsall away from Connecticut as the new Maryland head football coach.
November 2011, Anderson recommended cutting eight athletic teams - Men's Track and Field & Cross Country, Men's and Women's Swimming and Diving, Men's Tennis, Women's Water Polo and Women's Competitive Cheer.
