Mike Smith
CEO, Washington DC
Michael J. Smith is an innovative communicator, has been elected to leadership positions in the technology marketing profession and helps clients think outside the box. He has 25 years of experience in PR, marketing, corporate communications, investor relations, and public affairs.
Smith's specialty is launching and marketing new products or technology. He has helped over 60 technology companies with their go-to-market strategies. Three resulted in IPOs. Mike guided an additional 19 CEOs through merger and acquisition strategies.
He has a cogent understanding of the travel and tourism industry, the technology sector including federal, as well as a diverse background in journalism and public affairs in the New York, Chicago, and Washington, DC markets. He serves on the government affairs committee of the Travel Industry Association (TIA) and is the Board Secretary of the Northern Virginia Technology Council (NVTC) Foundation.
Most recently, Smith served as EVP and General Manager of Euro RSCG Magnet Communications in Washington DC, a top ten PR and PA firm. He was responsible for all Washington client services for ExxonMobil, Airbus, Schering Plough, Thomson Publishing, and other Fortune 500 global companies.
Smith was previously Vice President, Technology at Edelman Public Relations Worldwide, responsible for clients such as Microsoft, PeopleSoft, and Verio. He was also executive vice president of White & Partner Communications, the technology-based marketing communications agency in Dulles, Virginia. Smith was also the majority owner of W&B PR. Smith secured business for W&B with major tech companies such as Microsoft Government, Infoseek (Yellowbrix), Sybase, American Express, Pearson, Software AG and Electronic Data Systems (EDS). He has also brought in travel related or meetings business with the Marriott hotels and served the Virginia Tourism Corp. and national associations.
As head of his own public relations and marketing agency for seven years, including his own business development company Upstart Vision, he was responsible for launching NEC Corp.’s Eulix Networks (a public network switch system); BTG Inc.’s Community Networks (a cable modem ISP); PBS-Television's "Planet Neighborhood" (an interactive television program on WETA); and Computhink's "The Paperless Office" software. Smith has also served a number of high-technology clients on long-term retainers including MediaMap contact management software in Boston, Seneca Call Centers (national), and Scala Multimedia in Philadelphia.
Before focusing on Agency PR, Smith also spent eight years as an association executive, directing public affairs programs on behalf of the Newspaper Association of America's marketing division during which newspapers began offering interactive products. Smith worked for the National Association of Manufacturers from 1987-95. He was later Executive Director of the Manufacturing Institute for NAM, where he developed high-tech press and industry contacts.
Earlier in his career Smith worked as a marketing communications specialist for the Dow Chemical Company in product marketing. He also served at the Burson-Marsteller Public Relations Agency in Chicago. While at Burson-Marsteller, he handled the Procter & Gamble consumer products account. He has a reporting background with Gannett Newspapers in New York and has covered political events in the Nation’s Capital and the Democratic National Convention in New York City
. Smith received his master's degree in journalism from Northwestern University and has studied political reporting at the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism. He is a long-time member of the National Press Club and served as President of the New Media Society of Washington. He is a certified member of the American Society of Association Executives. Smith also served as the board liaison on the Finance and Investor Relations Committee of the Northern Virginia Tech Council. Smith is a member of and national speaker for the Public Relations Society of America, where he was elected chairman of the Technology Communicators Forum.
Awards:
Mike Smith has earned the following prestigious awards for his clients while serving as a marketing advisor over the past ten years:
- International Association of Business Communicators (IABC) - Communications Award for the 30th anniversary celebration for Software AG and state designation as the first tech company in the Dulles corridor
- Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award - Best Use of Technology (usage of Microsoft software product) for client. Attended E&Y National Competition in Palm Springs
- National Cable Television Association (NCTA) - Best New Product Marketing Campaign earned for UPC Broadband. Recognition for adding 250K subscribers in first year for UPC's triple play (voice, video and data).
