DAVID SMITH

CEO, HBMG, Inc.

“Plan for the future by looking out the windshield…not just the rear view mirror.”

David Smith is a noted leader in innovation, inspiration speaker, and successful strategic planner. Too often companies and organizations focus on the past and where to go from there, rather than being a future-forward thinker. David Smith looks forward. As a futurist and technologist with over 30 years of experience, he brings a unique approach and breadth of knowledge to his leadership style, consulting and research services. He has created dynamic organizations, led wildly collaborative teams, and generated winning strategies. David’s approach is one of strategic thinking and clear vision. In today’s rapidly changing world, his vision, intuition and creativity make him a leader than can implement the right initiatives for his clients and employees.

He understands that as a futurist one cannot examine isolated areas of business or technology without examining its interconnected relationships, dependencies, and impacts on other such areas. As a boat enthusiast, David is often on the water. Drop a fishing line in the water and the water ripples out horizontally in all directions, not just forward and backwards – it radiates outwards. But more important in the outcome of catching a fish is what is going on above and beneath the surface of the water. All of these factors can change the outcome. All of these factors can change the future.

His future-forward thinking, as well as careful examination of company, technology and societal care-abouts, drive David to be an innovative, astute leader and and an insightful strategist. He is an expert at relating emerging trends to the specific interests of his company and clients and providing a future-focused analysis of what developments and opportunities can be expected in the near and more distant future. He then assists organizations in determining steps to take to be successful in this emerging environment. He offers expertise from many aspects; from technology transfer, strategic and technology planning to communications, road mapping, consortia startup and management, and collaborative alliances. His broad base of knowledge and enterprising outlook help David to usher the way for a future-focused approach to business and technology.

As a leader in innovation, he has played an integral role at HBMG, Inc., Technology Futures, Inc., and in previous positions on many projects. Some highlights include:

• A leader at two of the nation's most successful consortia
•  Instrumental in designing IN-Q-TEL for the United States intelligence agencies, the intelligence community’s research and development venture capital solution.
• Co-lead the first national technology roadmap
• Helped form and lead many regional and national initiatives
• Has worked with Fortune 100, small and midsize companies, emerging companies, universities, and government agencies
• A designer of economic initiatives such as “ bio crossroads”
• Authoring Research and Technology Grand Challenges 2030 for the imagery and geospatial community.
• Organizing and conducting a study cataloging a region’s life sciences assets and care- abouts, and matching them with emerging national and international markets to establish priorities and target areas for future investment.
• Participating on the start-up teams and holding key positions in two of the largest and most successful consortia in the United States--SEMATECH and the Microelectronics and Computer Technology Corporation (MCC). As technology transfer and planning manager at SEMATECH, he led the first national roadmap. At MCC, he held the position of corporate communications and technology transfer manager.
• Working as one of a three-person coordination committee and on the steering and implementation committees that developed the highly respected Semiconductor Industry Association National Technology Roadmap. The 15-year roadmap was cited by the Clinton administration as the model for other industries to follow.
• Serving on the CSIS steering committee drafting proposals for a new mission for U.S. federal labs.
• Served as chief operating officer at Strategic Pathways International, a professional services group dedicated to assuring that its clients achieve exceptional success in today’s information-driven operating environment. Clients included EDS, IBM, Petrobras, Embratel, National Center for Manufacturing Sciences, and Electric Power Research Institute.

Throughout his career, Mr. Smith has assisted in creating and implementing plans for a range of industry and academic organizations and government agencies. A sampling of Mr. Smith’s customers includes:

As an invited speaker David Smith’s compelling topics have captivated a range of clients from government agencies, high profile business, universities, conferences and even five year olds. He also regularly presents and teaches at university, industry, and conference events. Mr. Smith is regularly quoted by newspapers and industry publications. Recent broadcasts of National Public Radio (NPR) and issues of Business Week, American Demographics, and Intel’s Circuit News prominently feature his views on technology trends.

Other noteworthy activities:

• Accepted into the membership of the Association of Professional Futurists.
• Senior research fellow at the University of Texas at Austin IC2 Institute.
• Awarded the SEMATECH Eagle Award for its 1993 strategic plan.
• Awarded Council of Consortia award for Extraordinary Contributions and Achievement in Technology Transfer.
• Served in elected offices of professional associations at the local, regional, and international levels.
• Served as assistant to the Dean of the College and Graduate School of Business. Was also director of the Multimedia Lab and instructional media coordinator for the University of Texas at Austin.
• Holds a bachelor degree in Radio, Television, and Film from the University of Texas at Austin.