Vice President and Chief Operating Officer
Kettering Foundation
Dayton, Ohio

Dr. Estus Smith is retired from his position Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of the Kettering Foundation. In this capacity he was responsible for the day-to-day operations of the Foundation. He also served as coordinator for Kettering Foundations programs undertaken collaboratively with the state humanities councils.

Currently, Dr. Smith serves an emeritus member of the Board of Directors of the African American Community Fund. He is on the Board of Directors of the Dayton Area Chapter of the American Red Cross, and the Board of Directors of the KnowledgeWorks Foundation, and of the Ohio Grantmakers Forum. He also serves on the Governing Board of the Dayton Foundation, the National Board of Parents for Public Schools, the National Advisory Board of Project on Campaign Conduct (Institute for Global Ethics), and as a member of Alliance for Education. Dr. Smith is a Trustee at the St. George's Episcopal Church and Treasurer for the Episcopal Diocese of Southern Ohio. He also holds memberships in Beta Beta Beta, Phi Kappa Phi, Sigma Pi Phi, and several other national and local organizations.

Dr. Smith received his B.S., M.M. and Ph.D. degrees in music from Jackson State University, Indiana University and the University of Iowa, respectively. He served as Vice President for Academic Affairs at Jackson State University from 1973 to 1984.

Dr. Smith has received numerous awards, including induction in the Jackson State University Sports Hall of Fame for both football and basketball. In 1981, he was cited by the Mississippi House of Representatives for winning a Distinguished Service Award from the National Governors Association. The National Conference cited him in 1995 for his outstanding service to Greater Dayton community.