About Pepperdine

Andrew K. Benton - President and Chief Executive Officer

Andrew K. Benton became the seventh president of Pepperdine University on July 1, 2000. Benton, who served as executive vice president of the University since 1991, was selected after a nationwide search that included 40 nominees and interviews of several candidates by faculty, staff, students, alumni and administrators.

Phone: 310-506-4451
E-mail: Andrew.Benton@pepperdine.edu

A 1974 graduate of Oklahoma Christian University, Benton earned his bachelor of science degree in American Studies, and served as assistant to the president of that institution from 1975 to 1984. He earned his law degree from Oklahoma City University School of Law in 1979 and practiced law in the state of Oklahoma. He came to Pepperdine in 1984 and worked in several key leadership roles during his tenure, including vice president for administration and vice president for university affairs. In addition, he has taught both undergraduate and graduate classes at the university.

Benton is presently on the Board of Directors for The Employers Group of California, the Executive Committee for the West Coast Conference, and is a member of the American Bar Association and the Oklahoma Bar Association. Most recently, he was named the 2008 chair of the American Council on Education (ACE), the major coordinating body for all of the nation's higher education institutions.