Robert Hilton Smith, a university alumnus who made a fortune in real estate before turning to philanthropy and becoming one of the university’s largest benefactors, died Dec. 29 of a stroke at age 81.
Smith donated more than $100 million to the university including major gifts to the business school, which now bears his name, and to the Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center, named after his wife. The massive donations helped fuel a period of great growth in prestige for the university.
“He always urged us to set ambitious goals and adhere to the highest standards,” Vice President for University Relations Brodie Remington said. “Excellence was a fundamental principle that he practiced in both his business and in his philanthropy. On most campus visits, he would also meet with students, faculty and staff. He wanted to understand our work and gain insight into how he could help advance the institution.”
Smith gave a $15 million naming gift to the business school in 1997 — still the largest in the school’s history — after being persuaded by then-university President Brit Kirwan to invest in increasing the school’s prestige. In 1998, he and his wife followed up with a $15 million donation to CSPAC. In 2005, he gave another $30 million to the university — the largest donation the university has ever received.
Smith provided not only monetary gifts but advice to staff members.
“I know President [Dan] Mote, the [business school] dean, and the executive director [of CSPAC] would agree that we benefited enormously from his ideas, guidance, and vision,” Remington said. “He was one of those very rare individuals who was ‘larger than life.’ His words and presence inspired many.”
Remington said one of his “particularly strong memories” of Smith is of when he came to the university at his invitation to speak to the University Relations staff.
“He gave inspiring remarks and praised our work,” Remington said. “Despite a busy schedule, he insisted on staying so he could get to know the staff personally.”
Susie Farr, executive director of CSPAC, said that Smith told her when he made a commitment, he wanted to be involved as much as he could.
“He was always a vibrant presence at the [center], whether he was walking the site with the landscaping crew and facilities staff or attending performances by students whose work was supported by his generosity,” Farr wrote in a remembrance posted on CSPAC’s website. “The two things about him that will always stay with me are his dedication to excellence and his desire to give back to the country that he said gave him so much.”
Farr said Smith’s contributions to CSPAC included supporting programming endowments to bring in performers from around the world and providing financial aid for performing arts students. “He visited fairly often and at other times he and his family would come to see performances,” she said. “He always said he wanted to be associated with the best organizations and institutions and that was an inspiration to us.”
Business school dean G. Anand Anandalingam said although he only knew Smith for a few years, he developed a close relationship with him.
“Even though I had only known him for about three years, he was very personable and very supportive of me,” Anandalingam said. “We worked together on a number of things in this short period. Most notably, he recently funded us to improve and expand our corporate strategy, including our career placement office.”
“As our school’s great benefactor, we owe a profound debt of gratitude to Mr. Smith for his unmatched support and generosity,” Anandalingam wrote on the business school’s website. “Bob Smith changed the course of our school’s future.”
Anandalingam said Smith was also able to connect the business school to important people and organizations, including the Gettysburg Foundation, the Hebrew University of Jerusalem in Israel and major speakers.
Born in 1928 in Brooklyn, N.Y., Smith moved to Washington, D.C., at a young age. He graduated from the university with an accounting degree, and soon after took over his father’s real estate and construction businesses.
He was also well-known for developing Crystal City, a neighborhood of business complexes, residential housing and plazas in Arlington, Va. He served as the chairman of Charles E. Smith Commercial Realty and Charles E. Smith Residential. Both companies are now part of larger corporations.
Besides his prolific donations to the university, the Smiths also gave millions to Thomas Jefferson’s historic home, Monticello, and donated collections to the National Gallery of Art and other museums .
Smith’s death will not end his family’s ties to the university. His daughter, Michelle Smith, serves on the board of trustees of the University of Maryland College Park Foundation and on a leadership council that oversees fundraising for CSPAC. His son, David Bruce smith, has been a supporter of the university’s Jewish studies program.
“I expect the business school to continue to have a long and strong relationship with the Smith family after this,” Anandalingam said. “His daughter Michelle Smith and son David Smith are very strong supporters of me and the business school. Michelle Smith has taken over the Robert H. Smith Foundation and has pledged to continue supporting the business school in its many endeavors.”
Smith is survived by his wife; two children; a sister, Arlene Kogod of Washington; and four grandchildren. His son, Steven Smith, died in 2003.
cetrone@umdbk.com
