Brad D. Smith is a former executive leader from West Virginia who now serves as President of Marshall University. Born and raised in West Virginia, Brad decided to return to his home state after a successful tenure in Silicon Valley. During his time on the West Coast, Brad held various executive leadership positions over the course of his career, with one of the most prominent being CEO, and later executive chairman, of Intuit. Returning to his roots, Brad has made it his mission to uplift West Virginia and has both created and supported organizations to help do so.

Brad and his wife Alys are co-founders of the Wing to Wing Foundation which aims to create sustainable growth in West Virginia through supporting initiatives focused on education, entrepreneurship, and the environment. The Smiths have also gifted $25 million to West Virginia University to establish the Brad and Alys Smith Outdoor Economic Development Collaborative (OEDC). This initiative focuses on strengthening the West Virginia economy, expanding outdoor education access for students, and empowering communities to leverage outdoor recreational resources. Under the OEDC, Brad and Alys have also created Ascend WV, a remote worker program designed to attract new talent to the Mountain State.

Outside of his presidential role, Brad has long supported his alma mater, Marshall University. In 2015, Brad and Alys established the Brad D. and Alys Smith Family Scholarship to aid underserved students in their pursuit of higher education. Additionally, the Smiths have donated $25 million to Marshall’s schools of business and helped institute the Brad D. Smith Student Incubator to assist budding entrepreneurs in their ventures. In recognition of his commitment to Marshall, Brad was honored with the university’s Distinguished Alumnus award at the 83rd Alumni Awards Banquet. Outside of his role at Marshall, Brad also serves on Humana’s Board of Directors.