Joshua I. Smith (born Joshua Isaac Smith April 8, 1941) is an Afro-American businessman and former chairperson of the Commission on Minority Business Development.
Smith, a native of Loveland, Ohio, graduated from Central State University in Wilberforce, Ohio. He founded the computer firm Maxima Corp in 1978, following the breakup of his marriage. By 1993 the company had revenues over $41 million and had been ranked by Black Enterprise Magazine at number 33 in its list of minority businesses. 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. According to Jet magazine, Smith became the "leading spokesman for Black businessmen under the Reagan and Bush administrations". In 1989, he was appointed by President George H. W. Bush to be the chair of the Commission on Minority Business Development. Smith's recommendations for improving the lot of small businesses from minority groups were largely ignored by the President. 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.
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. Smith is As of 2009 Smith serves as chairman and managing partner of the Coaching Group. Other directorships include CardioComm Solutions Inc., Caterpillar Inc., Federal Express Corporation and The Allstate Corporation. Mr. Smith has been a director of Caterpillar since 1993.
Famous quotes containing the words joshua, isaac and/or smith:
“Behold the walls of Jericho. Maybe not as thick as the ones that Joshua blew down with his trumpet, but a lot safer. See, I have no trumpet. Now just to show you my heart’s in the right place, I’ll give you my best pair of pajamas. Do you mind joining the Israelites?”
—Robert Riskin (1897–1955)
“My mother made me a scientist without ever intending to. Every other Jewish mother in Brooklyn would ask her child after school: So? Did you learn anything today? But not my mother. “Izzy,” she would say, “did you ask a good question today?” That difference—asking good questions—made me become a scientist.”
—Isidor Isaac Rabi (20th century)
“Jesus died for somebody’s sins but not mine.”
—Patti Smith (b. 1946)