Pikeville College - Office of the President

Harold “Hal” H. Smith was inaugurated on Founders’ Day 1997 as the 16th president of Pikeville College. Prior to being named president on February 15th, 1997, Mr. Smith served as the vice-president for development at Muskingum College in New Concord, Ohio. He succeeeded William H. Owens, who retired after twelve years of service.

Prior to his position at Muskingum College, Smith held several positions at Centre College in Danville, Ky., including vice-president and dean of students, dean of admissions and lecturer in management. He was also an area representative for Centre College in Washington D.C., the city where he was a graduate student and resident advisor at American University. Smith holds the MBA degree from American University and an AB from Centre College.

Because of his experience at Centre College and Muskingum College, both small, church affiliated colleges, Smith felt that the move to Pikeville College was a natural one and remains excited about the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead.

“My experiences and responsibilities at both these colleges have prepared me well,” said Smith. “I am committed to and value the importance of quality educational opportunities in the smaller colleges and communities,” Smith added. “My concept of a quality education is one which strives for the development of the whole person– the personal, the physical and the spiritual, as well as the academic. And this is exactly what Pikeville College has been doing since its founding in 1889.”

Smith has been active in a variety of community and civic organizations. In Danville, he was an elder in the Presbyterian Church of Danville, president of the Rotary Club, a Rotary District Governor’s representative and district chair of the Rotary Foundation Educational Awards/Scholarships program. In New Concord, he served as chair of the Cambridge Area Chamber of Commerce and was a trustee of the Southeastern Ohio Regional Medical Center and the Southeastern Ohio Symphony Orchestra. He was also involved with several local and regional economic development initiatives.

A member of state, regional and national professional organizations, Smith has authored several articles about higher education and provided consulting services to a number of colleges. Among his other accomplishments, in 1994 he was inducted into Centre College’s Athletic Hall of Fame.

Smith was raised in Southgate in Northern Kentucky. He is married to the former Karen Willis of Louisville and they have three children–Amy, Andrew and Anne-Cameron.