Dwight Smith is leading by word and example

By Margaret Farnham
Fisher College of Business

When Dwight Smith meets with people seeking education or career advice, he asks them three questions:

1. What does success look like?
2. What do you need?
3. Once you’re successful, then what?

He typically hears three different answers: One group says they’re interested in what they can achieve for themselves; another says they’ll consider helping others once they’re successful. But it’s the third group that leaves the greatest impression on Smith.

“They say, ‘On my journey to success, I will take others along,’” he said. “All the students I meet at Ohio State fit into that category, which means they’re world-changers.”

Many would include Smith (BSBA ’78, MBA ’79) among those world-changers. The former president and CEO of Sophisticated Systems Inc. has continually turned his success into philanthropic ventures, volunteer service and support for nonprofit organizations. In addition, he has received numerous honors and awards for his work and contributions, including this year’s Pace Setters Executive Award presented by Fisher College of Business.

The award recognizes exceptional leaders who embody the values Fisher strives to instill in its students, including integrity, empathy, social responsibility and the pursuit of excellence. Smith also earned a student Pace Setters Award in 1978 for his scholarship and leadership on campus. During that time, he served on the Developmental Education Advisory Committee in University College and was a member and president of the Council of Black Students in Administration (CBSA). 

“Successful leaders know that being interested in others over one’s own interest is important,” said Leroy McKinney (BSBA ’78), Smith’s college roommate and close friend to this day. “Dwight has an uncanny ability to connect with people quickly and to find shared interests. He’s a good listener, and you get the sense that he really cares about what you are discussing with him.”

McKinney and Smith, both natives of Springfield, Ohio, met in Steeb Hall in 1976. They connected immediately and eventually shared an apartment during their last summer at Ohio State. They talk by phone weekly about everything from family and business to politics and Ohio State football.

Smith taught McKinney the importance of making and having a plan, personally and professionally.

“He said to make the plan flexible and add to it as more information dictates,” McKinney said. “This allows one to focus on what’s important and not get distracted by extraneous things that don’t really matter.”

Of the things that matter most to Smith, faith tops the list. It is the driving force behind his professional success and desire to give back. In addition to leading Sophisticated Systems for 33 years, he has volunteered his time on numerous boards, including The Highlights Foundation, Nationwide Children’s Hospital Foundation, Rocky Brands, Peoples Bank, Junior Achievement, The Columbus Regional Airport Authority and The Columbus Foundation. He also served on the board of directors of the Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland from 2017 to 2020, including two years as chair.

“The Bible says to whom much is given, much is required. Boy, do I believe that,” said Smith. 

Ten years ago, he and his wife, Renée (BSBA ’80), co-founded My Special Word, a nonprofit program that provides books and resources to young children with the premise of teaching them the importance of positive, encouraging and inspiring words. Its mission is to inspire youth to live each day committed to their personal values — reflecting positively on themselves and their relationships with others.

Smith refers to My Special Word as a concept, rather than a program, and it invites children and adults alike to choose a word that describes the person they aspire to be and to live out that word each day. The concept has been introduced in schools, community organizations and the London Correctional Institution.

“Words have power and impact,” said Smith. “Your word is something you can hold on to, and it speaks volumes to the values you have.”

The Smiths first met at IBM in 1980, where Renée had a summer internship and Dwight spent eight years in various roles. Renée ultimately spent 30 years in marketing and management with Xerox. Now married 20 years, the couple move through life as a team and believe words truly have the power to change the culture.

“My word is ‘believe,’” said Tammy Izzo, executive director of The Risk Institute at Fisher and a senior lecturer in finance. A former partner at EY, she joined the board of My Special Word after serving with Smith on the Junior Achievement Board of Directors.

Izzo regularly invites Smith to speak to her classes and audiences at Risk Institute-sponsored events. Last fall, he spoke to 600 Fisher students about his professional career and personal experiences.

His message rarely changes.

“He tells them that life isn’t just work; what you do isn’t who you are,” said Izzo. “He talks about being transparent and having integrity.”

Izzo follows each guest presentation with a quiz in which she asks students to reflect on the speaker’s message. The students often highlight Smith’s entrepreneurial insight, his honesty and generosity.

“Mr. Smith is a perfect example of how being selfless will get you farther than being selfish because he continues to give as he continues to receive,” wrote one student. 

Another highlighted Smith’s ability to admit his mistakes.

“A key lesson I took away was how humble and vulnerable a leader has to be,” the student wrote. “It was clear that he truly cared for his employees and didn’t view them as simply a tool for money. He demonstrated great humility by taking pay cuts and staying extra hours, while demonstrating vulnerability when he made mistakes.”

Smith admits his shortcomings to students, and says his company experienced a period of loss when he took his eyes off the bottom line.

“I always tell entrepreneurs, you think more revenue can grow you out of a problem; all you have to do is sell more,” he said.  “Like a nonprofit, if you raise more money but you’re not good stewards, it doesn’t get you out.” 

Sophisticated Systems once served large corporations who viewed the provider of IT solutions as a vendor. Eventually, Sophisticated Systems shifted its focus to smaller companies, who viewed them as a partner. When Smith sold the company, they were running the IT infrastructure for 45 small and mid-sized businesses. 

“We were value-based, relationship-based versus transaction and commodity-based,” he said. “That was a big pivot.”

While Smith imparts important business strategies and earnest life lessons to students, he learns a great deal from them in return.

“I’ll ask students, if you had a magic wand and you could wave it and change one thing, what would it be,” he said. 

Their answers blow him away.

“They talk about things like love versus hate, empathy and how to survive in a world that is divided,” he said. “They have a great sense of self. I think we have lost the ability to be empathetic toward others, but they get it. Every time I interact with a student I tell them, if the world is in your hands I am excited.”