Joshua I. Smith

Last updated

Joshua Isaac Smith (born April 8, 1941) is an American businessman and former chairperson of the Commission on Minority Business Development. [1]

Contents

Biography

Joshua Isaac Smith was born on April 8, 1941, in Garrard County, Kentucky. [2] Growing up in Loveland, Ohio, he graduated from Loveland High School in 1959. [3] He earned a Bachelor of Science degree from Central State University in Wilberforce, Ohio [4] in 1963. [2] [5] [6] He worked as a high school biology teacher in Washington, D.C., for a short time, [6] [7] and taught biology and chemistry at the University of Akron, where he also studied law. [2] In 1969, he became a manager at the New York division of Plenum Publishing Corporation. [2] He served as an executive director of American Society for Information Science [2] [6] from 1973 to 1977. [8] Smith attended management courses at the University of Delaware and Central Michigan University. [2] He founded the computer firm Maxima Corp in 1978, following the breakup of his first marriage. By 1993 the company had revenues over US$41 million and had been ranked by Black Enterprise magazine at number 33 in its list of minority businesses. [9] In 1996 the company had expanded to operate in 14 US states, employing 800 members of staff. Smith serves as a trustee on a number of boards, and has been a strong advocate for black entrepreneurship. [10] According to Jet magazine, Smith became the "leading spokesman for Black businessmen under the Reagan and Bush [George H] administrations". [11] In 1989, he was appointed by President George H. W. Bush to be the chair of the Commission on Minority Business Development. [12] Smith's recommendations for improving the lot of small businesses from minority groups were largely ignored by the President. [13] The company filed for bankruptcy protection in 1998, largely the result of expensive litigation between the company and Smith's son. Smith Sr. had sacked his son as vice president in 1993. [7] [14]

In 2003 Smith was appointed chairperson of the State of Maryland's Task Force on Minority Business Reform, advancing to serve as an advisor to the Maryland Governor's Commission on Minority Business Reform. As of 2009 Smith serves as chairman and managing partner of the Coaching Group, a position he has held since 1998. [6] [15] Other directorships include CardioComm Solutions Inc., Caterpillar Inc., Federal Express Corporation and The Allstate Corporation. Smith has been a director of Caterpillar since 1993. [16] [17] In 2008, Smith launched a weekly radio show Biz Talk with Josh Smith, which ran on CBS Radio in Washington, D.C. [6]

Smith was named distinguished alumnus by Loveland Schools Foundation in 2012. [3] In March 2014, Smith donated US$1 million to his alma mater Central State University. In October 2014, the university renamed one of its buildings to Joshua I. Smith Center for Education and Natural Sciences to honor Smith. [3] [6] In November 2014, Smith received the Thurgood Marshall College Fund HBCU Alumnus of the Year award at the 26th TMCF Awards Gala. [6] [18]

Smith has been married to his wife Reverend Jacqueline Jones-Smith since 1979, and lives in Washington, D.C. [6]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wilberforce, Ohio</span> Census-designated place in Ohio, United States

Wilberforce is a census-designated place (CDP) in Greene County, Ohio, United States. The population was 2,271 at the 2010 census, up from 1,579 at the 2000 census.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Loveland, Ohio</span> City in Hamilton, Clermont, and Warren counties in Ohio, United States

Loveland is a city in Hamilton, Clermont, and Warren counties in the southwestern part of the U.S. state of Ohio. The population was 13,307 at the 2020 census. Considered part of the Cincinnati metropolitan area, Loveland is located near exit 52 off Interstate 275, about 15 miles (24 km) northeast of the Cincinnati city limits. It borders Symmes, Miami and Hamilton townships and straddles the Little Miami River. Once a busy railroad town, Loveland is now a major stop along the Little Miami Scenic Trail.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wilberforce University</span> Historically black university located in Wilberforce, Ohio, U.S.

Wilberforce University is a private historically black university in Wilberforce, Ohio. Affiliated with the African Methodist Episcopal Church (AME), it was the first college to be owned and operated by African Americans. It participates in the United Negro College Fund.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cheyney University of Pennsylvania</span> Public historically black university in Cheyney, Pennsylvania

Cheyney University of Pennsylvania is a public historically black university in Cheyney, Pennsylvania. Founded in 1837, it is the oldest university out of all historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) in the United States. It is a member of the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education and the Thurgood Marshall College Fund. The university offers bachelor's degrees and is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tennessee State University</span> Public HBCU land-grant university located in Nashville, TN, USA

Tennessee State University is a public historically black land-grant university in Nashville, Tennessee, United States. Founded in 1912, it is the only state-funded historically black university in Tennessee. It is a member-school of the Thurgood Marshall College Fund. Tennessee State University offers 41 bachelor’s degrees, 23 master's degrees, and eight doctoral degrees. It is classified as "R2: Doctoral Universities – High research activity".

Historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) are institutions of higher education in the United States that were established before the Civil Rights Act of 1964 with the intention of primarily serving African Americans. Most of these institutions were founded during the Reconstruction era and are concentrated in the Southern United States. During the period of racial segregation in the United States, the majority of American institutions of higher education served predominantly white students, and disqualified or limited black American enrollment. Later on some universities, either after expanding their inclusion of Black people and African Americans into their institutions or gaining the status of minority-serving institution, became Predominantly Black Institutions (PBIs).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Texas Southern University</span> Historically black university in Houston

Texas Southern University is a public historically black university in Houston, Texas. The university is one of the largest and most comprehensive historically black college or universities in the United States with nearly 10,000 students enrolled and over 100 academic programs. The university is a member school of the Thurgood Marshall College Fund and it is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools. It is classified among "R2: Doctoral Universities – High research activity".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Little Miami Scenic Trail</span>

The Little Miami Scenic Trail is the fourth longest paved trail in the United States, running 78.1 miles (125.7 km) through five southwestern counties in the state of Ohio. The multi-use rail trail sees heavy recreational use by hikers and bicyclists, as well as the occasional horseback rider. Over 700,000 people made use of the trail in 2014.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Grambling State University</span> Public university in Grambling, Louisiana, U.S.

Grambling State University is a public historically black university in Grambling, Louisiana. Grambling State is home of the Eddie G. Robinson Museum and is listed on the Louisiana African American Heritage Trail. Grambling State is a member-school of the University of Louisiana System and Thurgood Marshall College Fund.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Central State University</span> Historically black university in Ohio, U.S.

Central State University (CSU) is a public, historically black land-grant university in Wilberforce, Ohio. It is a member-school of the Thurgood Marshall College Fund.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sarah Jane Woodson Early</span>

Sarah Jane Woodson Early, born Sarah Jane Woodson, was an American educator, black nationalist, temperance activist and author. A graduate of Oberlin College, where she majored in classics, she was hired at Wilberforce University in 1858 as the first black woman college instructor, and also the first black American to teach at a historically black college or university (HBCU).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Loveland High School (Ohio)</span> Coeducational high school in Loveland, , Ohio, United States

Loveland High School is a public high school located in Loveland, Ohio, United States, within Hamilton County. It is the only high school in the Loveland City School District, serving the communities of Loveland, Symmes Township, Goshen Township, and Miami Township. It offers a range of educational programs, including college preparatory and vocational.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Roderick J. McDavis</span>

Roderick J. McDavis, Ph.D., is the former 20th president of Ohio University, located in Athens, Ohio. McDavis has more than 35 years of service in higher education, including roles as both a professor and an academic administrator.

The Vulcan Bowl was a college football bowl game played at Rickwood Field in Birmingham, Alabama. The game was played on New Year's Day between 1941 and 1949 and again in 1952, between historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs). The game was one of the longer-lasting bowls for HBCUs established in the 1940s. The first game in the series was called the Steel Bowl, and the bowl game served as an early era black college football national championship game by matching the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference champion against the best team from the other HBCU conferences. The final contest was also called the Steel Bowl and was played at Legion Field.

Raymond V. Haysbert Sr. was an American business executive and civil rights leader during the second half of the 20th century in Baltimore, Maryland. During World War II, he served in Africa and Italy with the renowned Tuskegee Airmen. Haysbert joined Baltimore-based Parks Sausage Company in 1952, becoming CEO as it grew into one of the largest black-owned U.S. businesses. In later years, he was active in politics and the American civil rights movement. Haysbert was chairman of the Greater Baltimore Urban League when he died at age 90 in 2010.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Thyrsa Frazier Svager</span> African American mathematician

Thyrsa Anne Frazier Svager was an American academic who was one of the first African-American woman to gain a PhD in mathematics. Born in Ohio, she graduated from high school at the age of 16, going to Antioch College in Ohio and then doing her postgraduate degrees at Ohio State University. Frazier Svager was the head of the Department of Mathematics at Central State University (CSU) in Ohio for decades, ending her academic career as provost and dean for academic affairs. She and her husband, physics professor Aleksandar Svager, invested one of their salaries during their careers to build a legacy for scholarships. After her death, the Thyrsa Frazier Svager Fund was established to provide scholarships for African-American women majoring in mathematics.

Harry Rupert "Big Jeff" Jefferson was an American football, basketball, and baseball coach and college athletics administrator. He served as the head football coach at Wilberforce University (1923), Bluefield State College, North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University (1930–1931), Virginia State University (1934–1948), Hampton University (1949–1959), compiling a career college football coaching record of 173–92–25. Jefferson led his teams to black college football national championships in 1927, 1928, and 1936. Jefferson was the first chairman and charter member of the National Athletic Steering Committee (NASC) in 1951. Later, Jefferson served as president of the NASC in 1957 and was honorary president in 1959. Jefferson was also honored by the NASC in 1958 for 35 years "contributed to the development of youth through athletic coaching and administration." Jefferson was also the first commissioner of the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) in 1961. In college, he was a founding member of the Phi chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha at Ohio University. Jefferson died of a heart attack, on April 24, 1966, at Mercy Douglas Hospital in Philadelphia. His funeral was held at Arlington National Cemetery.

Mollie Ernestine Dunlap was a librarian, bibliographer, and educator. Her research illuminated the scholarship of African Americans and the experience of African Americans in higher education, especially the groundbreaking publication of the Index to Selected Negro Publications Received in the Hallie Q. Brown Library. Her work as a founding member of the first African American library association, as well as within the American Library Association, championed the civil rights of black librarians in the United States.

A Historically Black College and University marching band is the marching band sponsored by a historically black college or university. A distinctive "HBCU-style" of marching band originated in the American South in the 1940s through the blending of earlier traditions of military music and minstrel shows with a performance repertoire based on popular song.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Colette Pierce Burnette</span> American university and museum president

Colette Pierce Burnette is an American educational administrator. Educated as an industrial engineer, Burnette later became interested in supporting students at historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs). After serving in several administrative positions at U.S. universities, she became the first female president of Huston–Tillotson University in 2015. In May 2022, Burnette was announced as the next president and CEO of Newfields in Indianapolis, Indiana.

References

  1. ↑ Contemporary Black Biography: Profiles from the International Black Community By L. Mpho Mabunda, Gale Research Inc Edition: illustrated Published by Gale Research International, Limited, 1996 ISBN   0-8103-9318-2, ISBN   978-0-8103-9318-9 p. 223
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Kranz, Rachel (1 January 2004). Smith, Joshua I. African-American Business Leaders and Entrepreneurs. Infobase Publishing. p. 255. ISBN   9781438107790.
  3. 1 2 3 Gibson, Chuck (23 October 2014). "Loveland alumnus honored at Central State dedication". The Cincinnati Enquirer . Enquirer Media . Retrieved 14 June 2015.
  4. ↑ Schultz, Judith L. (21 March 1990). "Minorities can be good business executive, pushes economic role for all" (fee required). Dayton Daily News . Dayton, Ohio: Cox Ohio Publishing. p. B6. Retrieved 28 August 2010. Smith, a Central State University graduate and Loveland, Ohio, native, said blacks, Hispanics, female heads of households and other minorities cost the country $200 billion annually in lost earning power, while the government foots a $100 billion annual bill for entitlement expenses.
  5. ↑ "Central State University Honors Businessman Joshua I. Smith". PR Newswire (Press release). Wilberforce, Ohio: UBM plc. 21 October 2014. Archived from the original on 2 December 2014. Retrieved 14 June 2015.
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 "Central State University grad named National HBCU Alumnus of the Year" (Press release). Central State University. 2014. Archived from the original on 14 June 2015. Retrieved 14 June 2015.
  7. 1 2 Cohn, Gary (27 February 1994). "Maxima Corp. struggles to regain the success that made it one of the nation's biggest black-owned firms WHEN A FATHER & SON SPLIT". The Baltimore Sun . Tribune Publishing. Archived from the original on 14 June 2015. Retrieved 14 June 2015.
  8. ↑ Kent, Allen (1985). Supplement 3: Adams: Scott to Winckelmann: Johann Joachim. Encyclopedia of Library and Information Science . Vol. 3. CRC Press. p. 30. ISBN   9780824720384.
  9. ↑ The African American's Guide to Working from Home and Neighborhood By Sam King ISBN   0-7414-2646-3, ISBN   978-0-7414-2646-8 p. 193
  10. ↑ Talking dollars and making sense: a wealth-building guide for African-Americans By Brooke M. Stephens Edition: illustrated Published by McGraw-Hill Professional, 1996 ISBN   0-07-061389-3, ISBN   978-0-07-061389-8 p. 58
  11. ↑ Jet 24 Jan 1994 p. 18 Vol. 85, No. 12 ISSN   0021-5996
  12. ↑ Scott, Matthew S. (June 1991). "Will Commission Report on Minority Business Make a Difference?". Black Enterprise . Earl G. Graves, Ltd. 21 (11): 102. ISSN   0006-4165 . Retrieved 28 August 2010. In 1989, the Bush administration created the U.S. Commission on Minority Business Development (CMBD) to address those concerns. The CMBD, chaired by Joshua I. Smith, CEO of the Maxima Corp. (No. 14 on the BE INDUSTRIAL/SERVICE 100), has a $500,000 budget, which has been used to assess whether federal programs are assuring the full participation of minority-owned firms.
  13. ↑ Three Black Generations at the Crossroads: Community, Culture, and Consciousness By Lois Benjamin Edition: 2 Published by Rowman & Littlefield, 2007 ISBN   0-7425-6001-5, ISBN   978-0-7425-6001-7 pp. 131–32
  14. ↑ Jet . Johnson Publishing Company. 94 (9): 18. 27 July 1998. ISSN   0021-5996.{{cite journal}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  15. ↑ "CSU grad gives $1 million to university". WHIO-TV . Wilberforce, Ohio: Cox Media Group. 11 March 2014. Archived from the original on 14 June 2015. Retrieved 14 June 2015.
  16. ↑ "Forbes profile". Retrieved 7 April 2009. Archived 7 April 2009.
  17. ↑ "Datawind profile". Retrieved 7 April 2009. Archived 7 April 2009.
  18. ↑ French, Larry (12 November 2014). "Thurgood Marshall College Fund 26th Awards Gala - Inside". Yahoo! News . Yahoo. Archived from the original on 14 June 2015. Retrieved 14 June 2015.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.