Harry Smith announced as new Fogelman College Executive-in-Residence

Dean Rajiv Grover has announced that Harry Smith is to be the new Executive-in-Residence at the Fogelman College of Business & Economics.  Smith will give guest lectures and talks to students and meet with students, faculty and staff on the subject, “Know Good – Do Good – Thrive.”  The essential message is that the most effective way to get ahead in life is through positive actions.  If one does the right thing and continues doing the right thing, one will be successful.  In the first instance, Smith’s activities will be directed at communicating this message to graduating seniors through in-class addresses.

Between 1980 and 2005 Smith was the Chairman and CEO of Schilling Companies, Inc. that owned and operated several companies that variously dealt in the automobile sales, real estate, trucking, HVAC, and auto parts industries.  He has managed more than 1000 employees and a revenue base of $150 MM.  Prior to that, he was a partner in a Public Accounting firm for 16 years.  He recently sold a saddle manufacturing company in Texas and is currently engaged in developing 448 acres of land for mixed-use. Smith has served on several for-profit and not for-profit boards spanning health care, banking, civic, transportation, religious and educational organizations. 

Smith was born in Alabama.  He graduated from the University of North Alabama and has an Honorary Doctorate from Union University.  He has been married to Mary Elizabeth Smith for 46 years and has one daughter and 3 grandsons – one of whom won the BCS title game for Alabama!