Gary A. Smith is cofounder and Senior Partner of Ivy Planning Group(Ivy), a 28-year-old consulting and training company that specializes in strategy, diversity, leadership and change management. Consulting Magazine honored Mr. Smith as one of the Top 25 Consultants of 2007. Profiles in Diversity Journal named him a Diversity Pioneer. Minority Business & Professionals Network, Inc. named Mr. Smith one of “Fifty Influential Minorities in Business”. He has over 25 years of strategy, technology, management consulting and executive coaching to large private sector and government organizations. He has led numerous engagements to develop core business, technology, diversity, and marketing strategies leading to improved revenue performance, mission-critical improvements, and more effective customer service. Mr. Smith assists clients in solving problems. His skills in management, marketing, and information technology allow him to synthesize data to meet his clients’ challenges. He has worked directly with corporate CEOs, executive teams, agency administrators, and senior officials to build strategies, facilitate challenging discussions, and achieve their organization’s vision.
He has worked with Senior Executives at Comcast, Viacom, Sony, HBO, MetLife, Nike, BET Networks, L’Oreal, Lockheed Martin, Deloitte Consulting, O’Melveny & Myers LLP, Verizon and Bank of America. His work with non-profits includes Special Olympics International and United Way.
He has worked at the Senior Executive Level with the Federal Reserve Board, Consumer Finance Protection Board, FINRA, Nuclear Regulatory Commission, U.S. Government Accountability Office, U.S. Departments of Justice, Treasury, Labor, State and Intelligence Agencies. He holds a security clearance.
Mr. Smith’s clients benefit from his ability to quickly synthesize and to apply best practices across sectors and industries.
Mr. Smith co-founded Ivy Planning Group after a successful career managing sales, marketing, and technical organizations including IBM where he held Marketing and Technical positions; Amdahl Corporation as Account Executive; Masstor Systems as Director of U.S. Operations; Comdisco Inc. as Director of Federal Marketing; and Technical Software Services as Vice President and Chief Operating Officer.
Mr. Smith is a member of the Yale Club of New York City. His board service commitment includes the Boards of Allianz Life Insurance Company of North America, Lakewood Country Club, the Capital Chapter of Strategic Leadership Forum, The International Society for Strategic Management, and the Strategic Planning Board and Treasurer of Florida Avenue Baptist Church. Mr. Smith received the distinguished Torchbearer’s Award for Community Service from the Greater Washington Morehouse College Club.
A native of Washington, D.C., Mr. Smith was educated in the District’s public school system. He earned his Bachelor’s degree in Political Science from Yale University. He lives in Maryland with his wife and business partner, Janet Crenshaw Smith. They have three adult sons.
