Brookings Institution



Scott W. SmithScott W. Smith is widely recognized as a distinguished leader in both private business and government. In a career that spans over thirty-five years, Smith has been a professional, consultant, private sector CEO, and government leader. He is the former Mayor of Mesa, Arizona (2008-2014) who currently serves as the Chief Executive Officer of Valley Metro, the Regional Transportation Authority for Metro Phoenix. Known for his ability to collaborate and bring parties together to solve complex problems, Smith is for his innovative leadership in building better government that is more efficient and effective. Smith graduated from Brigham Young University with a BS degree in accounting and started his career at the international accounting firm Price Waterhouse Coopers. He earned both MBA and Juris Doctor degrees from Arizona State University and owned a management consulting and advisory firm. Seeking a new challenge, Smith became the CEO of a European-owned Arizona real estate investment and development company that was burdened with serious legal and organizational issues. He soon resolved the company’s issues and transformed it into a thriving and well respected regional home building and development company. Smith eventually bought the company from its owners. After building the business, Smith sold it to a NYSE national home building company and pursued another passion: public service. In 2008, Smith ran for, and won, his first elective office: Mayor of Mesa, Arizona, the 38th largest city in America with over 450,000 residents. He was reelected without opposition in 2012 and served until resigning to run for Governor of Arizona in 2014. From the time he first took office, Smith championed innovative efforts that made Mesa government more efficient, responsive and accountable to its citizens. He led the largest reorganization of city government in Mesa’s history. Faced with a crippling recession and large deficit, he worked with the City Council and City Staff to reduce the number of city employees, lower expenditures, and balance the city’s operating budget. But he just didn’t cut costs. Following a pledge to “Build a Better Mesa,” he also made government more effective and business friendly. He eliminated red tape and burdensome regulations, and changed the culture in government by telling City employees to “facilitate, don’t regulate.” Smith also championed iMesa, a visionary citizen outreach project. Leveraging technology for civic engagement, iMesa was a grassroots improvement effort where residents submit, vote, comment on, and process ideas that helped to transform the community and led to a successful quality of life initiative that was approved by Mesa voters in the depths of the Great Recession. During his tenure, Smith also invested strategically in community assets. He rallied residents and leaders and kept the Chicago Cubs from moving their Spring Training to Florida, brought five new colleges to the City’s downtown, enticed Apple Computers to invest billions in a new facility and led the planning and construction of an extension of Valley Metro’s light rail through Mesa’s downtown district. His leadership helped foster the most successful job creation and economic development efforts in the city’s history. The Arizona Republic touted Smith’s leadership and vision as mayor, writing, “He has strengthened ties with several cities and has gained the confidence of many skeptical residents. The change is so marked that we shudder to think what shape the city would be in without him at the helm.” The paper also named Mesa, known for its conservative politics, as the Most Innovative City in Arizona. By the time he left office in 2014, Mesa had won many accolades, including being named one of Money Magazine’s Five Best Cities to Live in America. Smith is also sought after for his insight and commentary on city and national issues. He has been quoted in national publications such as The New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Washington Post and USA Today, and has appeared on television and radio outlets such as ABC News, CNN, Fox News, MSNBC, CNBC, Fox Business, Bloomberg Television, CNN Espa?ol and NPR. Smith’s fellow leaders have also recognized his leadership skills. He was elected President of the U.S. Conference of Mayors (2013-14), the only mayor from Arizona to ever be so honored. He also served on the President’s Export Council under President Obama. In Metro Phoenix, he served as Chairman of the Maricopa Association of Governments Regional Council and also headed its Transportation Policy Committee.In the Fall of 2015, Harvard University selected Smith to serve as a Resident Fellow at the John F. Kennedy School of Government’s Institute of Politics. Smith taught seminars on City Government and mentored students. In late 2015, Valley Metro was rocked by controversy over allegations of financial improprieties by executives. Regional Leaders looked to a respected leader who could both stabilize the embattled agency and restore public trust in it. In January of 2016, the Board of Directors asked Scott Smith to lead Valley Metro as its Interim CEO. In November, the Board asked Smith to stay on as Valley Metro’s permanent CEO. As CEO, Smith leads an organization that is responsible for planning, building and operating bus, paratransit and light rail in metropolitan Phoenix. Valley Metro operates 600 busses, 26 miles of light rail, and has over $2 billion of capital projects in progress. In 2016, the Brookings Institution appointed Smith to be a Distinguished Nonresident Senior Fellow in its Metropolitan Policy Program. Scott Smith is a native of Tucson, Arizona. He and his wife Kim have been married 38 years. They have three children and seven grandchildren. Smith speaks fluent Spanish. He is also a licensed pilot who volunteers his time and plane flying needed blood products to hospitals around Arizona. ................
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