Brad D. Smith is a renowned leader in business, philanthropy and higher education. While his interests and accomplishments are varied and far-reaching, the majority of Brad’s focus and energy is currently devoted to his most recent full-time position: President of Marshall University. Brad took on the presidential role in January 2022 as an alumnus eager to give back to the house that built him. Brad graduated from the institution in 1986 and has remained close with the university over the years as an alum and benefactor. Acting as the university’s leader is one of many actions Brad has taken to uplift his home state of West Virginia. Outside of Marshall, Brad works alongside his wife, Alys, to support the Wing 2 Wing Foundation: a nonprofit organization that they founded together in 2019. The purpose of the Wing 2 Wing Foundation is to support economic development in Appalachian communities. To do this, the organization leverages education, entrepreneurship and environment — establishing and utilizing these three assets as the pillars of building sustainable and exponential growth for the region. Beyond his work in West Virginia, Brad is well known for his career history as an American businessman. Brad’s corporate career is best defined by his time spent in Silicon Valley, where he was the CEO of software company Intuit for 11 years before stepping into the role of Executive Chairman. Brad has also served on the board of directors of several household name brands, including Nordstrom and Yahoo.