Kirk Smith

Kirk Smith, president of The Adsmith, has over 35 years of working experience in advertising, graphic design and marketing. His interest grew from a youth surrounded by the business of “creating” — where as a child he would try to draw cartoons or help with ad “paste-up” alongside his father, an accomplished artist, cartoonist and the entrepreneur who created The Adsmith.

Kirk graduated from the University of Georgia where he majored in Graphic Design while working part-time at the company’s original downtown Athens office. Upon graduation, he began working at the agency full-time as an art director, eventually becoming a partner and now president of the firm. During his tenure, the agency’s work has been honored by Communication Arts, Print’s Regional Design Annual, Adweek, the Telly Awards, Addy Awards, Outdoor Advertising Association, Cooperative Communications Council, NRECA, the National Bank Marketing Association and many more.

During his career, he has also served as a Mentor to the same young man for almost three decades, and has loaned his leadership skills to the board of the Clarke County Mentor Program, including two terms as president of the steering committee and several terms on the executive committee. Kirk is a graduate of both Leadership Athens and Leadership Georgia and has served a term on the Board of Directors of the Athens Area Chamber of Commerce. He was Co-Director (along with his wife, Jayne) of the Winter Games of the Georgia Special Olympics when they were held in Athens, and served as publicity director for the same event the two years prior.