Richard Mills Smith


Richard Mills Smith is an American editor and journalist who has served as Editor-in-Chief, CEO and Chairman of the Newsweek magazine.

Education

Smith graduated Phi Beta Kappa from Albion College in 1968, attended Columbia University's School of International and Public Affairs and received an M.S. from Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism in 1970.
Smith has received honorary degrees from Albion College and Eastern Michigan University, the Distinguished Alumni and Founder's awards from the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism and the Columbia University Alumni Medal. In 2016, he was named an Honorary Citizen of Seoul for his contributions to the Korean capital.

Career

Smith joined Newsweek in 1970, soon rising to Asian Editor and Hong Kong Bureau Chief. He became editor of all international editions in 1978 and Editor-in-Chief in 1984. He was promoted to President in 1984 and CEO in 1991. From 1998 to 2011, he was Chairman of Newsweek.
Smith served as Chairman of the Magazine Publishers of America and as a Board member for the American Society of Magazine Editors. In 2002, he received the Henry Johnson Fisher Award for Lifetime Achievement.
In 2010, Smith became president of The Pinkerton Foundation, a nonprofit organization supporting programs for disadvantaged and at-risk young people in New York City. Building on this mandate, the Foundation currently carries out its mission mainly through its support of endeavors that strengthen youth programming in poor communities. In 2015, the Foundation made grants to 300 organizations totaling $35 million.
Smith has also served as a board member of Temple-Inland Co. the Smithsonian's Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum, and Albion College. He currently is a board member of the Columbia Graduate School of Journalism, the Harvard AIDS Initiative, Forestar Group and a tech startup, Videolicious.com, as well as Vice Chairman of the Seoul International Business Advisory Council. He is also Chairman of Merryck & Co. Americas, a leading CEO mentoring firm.

Personal life

Smith's wife is medical anthropologist Dr. Soon-Young Yoon.