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The Wing 2 Wing Foundation has added Rhetoric to its portfolio of supported ventures and startups. Rhetoric uses innovative technology and artificial intelligence (AI) to assist litigators in court proceedings by producing advanced, actionable insights on judges, courts and legal briefings. Founded by Luke Yingling of Ona, West Virginia, Brad D. Smith and Wing 2 Wing are proud to support a fellow Mountain State native.

In March, Brad D. Smith kicked off Marshall University’s “Marshall For All” high school tour in Wayne County, West Virginia, the county that Brad himself hails from. The tour will take Brad to high schools all across West Virginia and beyond to recognize future Marshall students and celebrate their choice to pursue higher education through the signing of academic letters of intent. Wayne High School President Sara Stapleton praised the initiative and how it gives future Marshall students “an opportunity to be recognized individually with the president and to recognize them for their efforts.” The next stop of the tour will be in Raleigh County.

Brad D. Smith joined Robert Slagel on the “My Last Name” podcast to discuss what good leadership looks like, the value in celebrating your heritage, the importance of authenticity and the grit of Appalachia’s people. “My Last Name” focuses on the successes of Appalachians and tells the stories of their accomplishments. Listen to the episode by clicking the link below.

Brad D. Smith was recently featured on a segment of the daily304’s YouTube channel called Innovators and Entrepreneurs, a bi-weekly series that shares news and opportunities pertaining to West Virginia. Brad sat down with host Andy Malinoski to discuss the recent progress and success of Ascend West Virginia and the Wing 2 Wing Foundation. Throughout the segment, Brad expanded on Ascend WV’s growth thus far and the confidence he has in its future.

In September 2022, Humana announced that Brad D. Smith was elected to the company’s Board of Directors. Brad’s impressive tenure as an executive leader, and his more recent role as President of Marshall University, bring a unique perspective to the Humana Board. Humana Chairman of the Board, Kurt J. Hilzinger, stated, “Brad’s deep operating experience and ability to innovate across all organizational layers, while also being mission and customer driven, will be vital as Humana continues to grow its core Medicare Advantage business, drive operational efficiencies, and mature and further integrate its healthcare services offerings.” Read more about Brad joining the Humana Board by clicking the link below.

Brad D. Smith was invested as Marshall University’s 38th president during a ceremony on September 16, 2022. Although he initially came into the role in January, the investiture marked the official beginning of his presidency and the continuation of Brad’s commitment to Marshall. Keeping with a theme of “time,” Brad discussed his vision for the future of the university, stating: “The time to act is now. Change can happen to us, change can happen through us. It is our choice and we have chosen not to waste this time. In fact, Marshall is prepared to lead the way. We’ve been busy working across the campus to chart the course for the next chapter of great for Marshall University and play our part in the state of West Virginia.” Born in Kenova, West Virginia, Brad is a proud advocate for the betterment of the Mountain State. His presidency will focus on expanding the definition of education and inspiring the desire to learn among prospective students. Watch a video of the ceremony by clicking the link below.

In a recent interview with the news website Protocol, Brad D. Smith discusses his transition from Silicon Valley executive to higher education leader. In the piece, he shares what inspired him to return to West Virginia, some of the steps he took to prepare for the interview process, and what it was like to come home and begin this new journey. Read the full interview by clicking the link below.

Aside from her fame as a musician, Dolly Parton has also become renowned for her child literacy project: the Imagination Library. The program gifts participants (children ages birth to 5 years) one free book per month and recently expanded to include all 55 counties in West Virginia. To celebrate the statewide expansion, Brad hosted a fireside chat with Dolly to discuss the inspiration behind her Imagination Library and what it means to be an Appalachia native — a quality that the two have in common. Watch a video of the chat by clicking the link below.

Through their nonprofit organization, the Wing 2 Wing Foundation, Brad D. Smith and his wife Alys recently donated $60,000 to Fairfield U — a mentorship program for children and teens in the Fairfield neighborhood of Huntington. The donation will fund the program for the next two to three years, granting high school students exposure to a variety of professions and industries. In reference to the importance of the work the organization is doing, Brad supplied the following comment: “People need to see themselves in the next opportunity to believe it’s possible.”

Since taking office as Marshall University’s President in January 2022, Brad D. Smith has constantly been looking for ways to give back to the Marshall community. In response, on May 13, 2022, the university announced an exciting new initiative titled “Community Cares Week: Giving Back to the Herd.” The program, currently scheduled to take place from June 20–24, encourages all members of the #MarshallUFamily to volunteer their efforts to help improve the campus. “I’m excited to welcome volunteers to return home to our beautiful campus, work side by side and leave the place better than we found it,” Brad said.