Brad D. Smith

Brad D. Smith is a proud West Virginian with a passion for leadership and philanthropy. He currently serves as the 38th President of Marshall University. Originally hailing from the small city of Kenova, West Virginia, Brad’s devotion to giving back to his home state runs deep. Beyond his role at Marshall, Brad is also the co-founder of the Wing 2 Wing Foundation — a nonprofit organization he established with his wife Alys to help unleash human potential in Appalachia.

As a loyal Marshall alum himself, Brad’s support throughout the years has contributed to the establishment of the Marshall Business and Innovation District, as well as the Brad D. Smith Student Incubator. Both the Innovation District and the Student Incubator support the entrepreneurial interests of Huntington locals and Marshall students — helping startups to grow, refine and launch their ideas. Under his presidency, he has also helped to make a Marshall education more accessible by extending the university’s Metro tuition to students within 100 miles of the campus.

Born and raised in West Virginia, Brad knows firsthand how communities in the Appalachian region are negatively and disproportionately impacted by their technological and economic change. Brad’s work through the Wing 2 Wing Foundation is helping to address the disparities in his home state. With a goal of uplifting West Virginians and championing their potential, Brad and Wing 2 Wing have remained committed to leveling the playing field of opportunity — providing educational, environmental and economic development resources to those who need it most.

After Brad obtained his undergraduate degree in Business Administration from Marshall University in 1986, he went on to have a lengthy career in senior management and executive leadership. Brad is prominently known for his tenure as Executive Chairman and CEO of Intuit. Today, in addition to his presidential role at Marshall and work with Wing 2 Wing, he is also an elected member of Humana’s Board of Directors.