Raymond Smoot

Raymond D. Smoot, Jr., retired in 2012 as Chief Executive Officer and Secretary-Treasurer of the Virginia Tech Foundation, Inc. where he was responsible for management of assets in excess of $1.3 billion including the university’s endowment, the Virginia Tech Corporate Research Center, and the Hotel Roanoke. He previously held several vice presidential posts at Virginia Tech, most recently as Vice President for Administration and Treasurer. Prior to returning to Virginia Tech in 1975, he was a graduate research associate at The Ohio State University and served as a legislative assistant in the Ohio House of Representatives and Senate. Dr. Smoot continues to serve as a director of several Virginia Tech Related Corporations. Dr. Smoot is a native of Lynchburg, Virginia, and earned bachelor and masters degrees from Virginia Tech and a Ph.D. from The Ohio State University. Dr. Smoot is active in business and community affairs. He is executive committee member and finance committee chair of Carilion Clinic, and a director of RGC Resources, Inc., and served 2014-19 as Chairman of Union Bankshares. He is a director of the Via College of Osteopathic Medicine, and has served as Chairman of the Investment Committee of the Virginia Retirement System, one of the nation’s largest pension funds. He also serves as an investment advisory board member of Harbert Venture Partners. Dr. Smoot was recognized by the Association of University Research Parks as recipient of its 2005 National Community Leadership Award, in 2012 by Junior Achievement as a member of its Western Virginia Business Hall of Fame, and in 2015 with the Silver Hope Award by the Virginia/West Virginia Chapter of the Multiple Sclerosis Society. Dr. Smoot currently is Chair of the Lynchburg/Roanoke/New River Valley Go Virginia Regional Council, and in 2018 was appointed by Governor Northam to the Commonwealth Transportation Board.