HudsonAlpha Institute for Technology named Russell Smith as its new Chief Operating Officer on January 23.
Smith will lead strategic operations for institutional growth of services, revenue and market expansion. He replaces Danny Windham, who is retiring.
Smith brings more than 25 years of professional experience in business transformation, operational excellence, market development and servant leadership to HudsonAlpha. Prior to joining the Institute, he served as president of Alithya U.S., a digital strategies and technology company based in Canada. In that role, Smith directed more than 500 professionals, fostering a collaborative and innovative team culture while establishing and expanding the company’s U.S. presence, setting strategic direction, aligning team goals and executing plans that achieved consistent growth and increased revenue.
Smith has served in other upper leadership positions throughout his career, including president of Edgewater Fullscope, a business unit of Edgewater Technology, CEO of Fullscope, and executive vice president and co-founder of Redklay Solutions.
“We are delighted to welcome Russell to HudsonAlpha,” President Neil Lamb, PhD, said. “The Institute stands on the leading edge of the biotech and agtech industries, and as our field expands, so must our position within it. I’m confident Russell’s many years of successful leadership experience will enhance the impact we can make through innovation and entrepreneurial growth.”
A long-time Athens resident, Smith earned a Bachelor of Science degree in industrial engineering from Auburn University where he was named Outstanding Graduate from the College of Engineering. He later earned a Master of Business Administration from The Fuqua School of Business at Duke University where he was honored as a Fuqua Scholar.
Smith and his wife, Michelle, are parents of three grown children and members of Lindsey Lane Baptist Church. He is also an active volunteer with the Athens Chapter of Sleep in Heavenly Peace, an organization that builds and delivers beds to children needing a bed and a safe place to sleep.