Dr. Smith began his education career as a 7-12 math teacher and coach at Winthrop High School. He took on the role of activities director after several years and continued in that role as the Winthrop district merged with the Gibbon and Fairfax districts to become the GFW School District. During this time of transition, he served as the district’s business manager.
Dr. Smith married his wife, Chris, while in Winthrop and the couple have three adult children and two grand puppies.
Dr. Smith began his journey as a school superintendent with a part-time superintendent position with the Stewart district and then moved on to serve the West Central Area, Red Wing and Belle Plaine districts over the next 22 years. During his years as superintendent, he passed numerous operating levy ballot questions, several bond election questions, and helped four districts through the consolidation process to form the West Central Area District. He oversaw the construction of a new 7-12 high school while at West Central Area and oversaw the construction of a new elementary school and total renovation of two other school facilities while in Belle Plaine.
Dr. Smith has been active in a variety of Minnesota education organizations during his career including the MN Association of School Business Officials (MASBO), MN Association of School Administrators (MASA), MN Rural Education Association (MREA) and the Schools for Equity in Education (SEE). He served as the President of MASA during the 2010-2011 school year.
Dr. Smith retired from the superintendency in 2015 and joined a municipal advisor firm, Springsted (later merged with Baker Tilly), as a financial advisor serving a number of Minnesota school districts. In this capacity, he worked with districts to support bond and operating levy efforts as well as financial planning and budgeting. In the spring of 2022, he retired from Baker Tilly.
Dr. Smith is excited to be back working with GFW Public Schools where he began his education career. It is an exciting time to be the leader of a district with so many initiatives underway in an effort to promote student achievement and personal growth.