Rear Admiral US Navy (Ret.)

Former Director of the Office of Disaster Planning & Risk Management for Cabinet-level U.S. Small Business Administration

Rear Admiral Steven G. Smith U.S. Navy (Retired) is a former Operational Commander and Strategy Planner in the U.S. Navy. Following retirement from the Navy after a 34-year career he worked in start-up small businesses as CEO or COO and later as a Senior Executive in the U.S. Small Business Administration. He gained valuable insight into the development and success of small businesses. In particular, he was impressed by the significance of the “application” of innovation. Great innovation requires adaptive application to meet customer needs for commercial success.

In his experience following military service he has noted how large and small businesses develop and succeed, and the value of applying operational experience, strategic thinking, and broad collaboration to small business creative development and change in any organization.

His business experience includes being Chief Operating Officer and later Chief Executive Officer (and board member) for Intellibridge Corporation, a late-stage start-up venture capital-funded company providing open-source intelligence (OSINT) and strategic insight to government and commercial clients. He led Intellibridge through its sale and acquisition by Eurasia Group in 2005. In 2004 while at Intellibridge he additionally served as the Co-Chair for the Country & Regional Knowledge Panel for the highly regarded 2004 Defense Science Board Study on “Transition to & from Hostilities.”

Following Intellibridge he worked with Hicks Associates (a wholly owned subsidiary of SAIC) as Vice President for Intelligence & Planning, leading teams as a subject matter expert in defense and homeland security. He participated in contracts with the Department of Homeland Security (Customs & Border Patrol), the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), and other projects. He is experienced in evaluating technology, policy, tactics, and procedures, to ascertain weaknesses and risk, and working with organizations to develop the best applications of resources for success.

Returning to business leadership, he was Chief Operating Officer of Via Global Group, an initial-stage start-up company providing advanced training programs and expert applications of innovative technology. He also served on the Advisory Board of the Performance Military Group, a Chicago- Board of Perforbased company marketing to military units. He is a past Chairman of the Expeditionary Warfare Division of the National Defense Industrial Association.

He was unexpectedly recruited in 2008 for a Senior Executive (SES) position with the U.S. Small Business Administration and for over eight years served as the Director of the Office of Disaster Planning and Risk Management for the Cabinet-level U.S. Small Business Administration until his federal retirement in late 2016. He was responsible for disaster recovery and resilience planning and facilitating the coordination of SBA agency-wide resources contributing to long-term economic development and recovery following a disaster. During a lengthy period of federal interagency work, he was a principal contributor to the development of the landmark federal government National Disaster Recovery Framework (NDRF) issued in September 2011. (The federal government formerly had a Response Framework but not a Recovery Framework.) He also established and directed the SBA agency-wide initial Enterprise Risk Management Program, was SBA’s Senior Official for the National Insider Threat Program, and was the agency Continuity of Operations Coordinator. As volunteer Coordinator of SBA’s Advanced Defense Technology Innovation “Clusters” Program he worked with “cluster” business groups composed of small and large businesses, colleges and universities, entrepreneurs, inventors, investors, technical experts, and others to find innovative technology, effectively apply it to meet defense and other customer needs and facilitate the development of the small businesses and their products and technology. During this experience he recognized the supreme importance of innovation application and helping make these connections.

Following retirement from SBA, he became a senior associate at Booz Allen Hamilton. Working in Saudi Arabia as part of a Booz Allen contract supporting transformational change as part of the Kingdom’s Saudi Vision 2030, he was a Senior Joint Force Advisor to the Saudi Ministry of Defense focused on transformational management and organizational change.

During military service, experience developing strategic and operational plans, professional development of key personnel, directing complex operations, and coordinating U.S. government interagency and multinational efforts. Previous senior military or command assignments include; Director of Program Appraisal for the Secretary of the Navy; Director of Strategy and Plans (J5) for the U.S. Pacific Command; Commander Amphibious Group Three (16 ships and over 17,000 personnel including the large Amphibious Assault Ships; USS Tarawa, USS Peleliu, USS Essex, USS Boxer, USS Bon Homme Richard, and 11 other ships, as well as all U.S. Pacific Fleet Port & Harbor Security Units); Assistant Deputy Chief of Naval Operations for Plans, Policy, and Operations (N-3/5B); Flag Officer Assistant to the Under Secretary of Defense for Policy; Senior Military Assistant to the Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel & Readiness; Executive Assistant to the Chief of Naval Personnel; Assistant Chief of Staff for Manpower and Personnel (N-1) U.S. Pacific Fleet; Branch Head of CNO Surface Warfare Officer Training and Professional Development. Command of USS Mobile Bay CG-53 homeported in Japan, operating extensively throughout Asia and the Middle East with the Independence CVBG. Command of USS Chandler DDG-996 during operations in the Arabian Gulf, including Operation Earnest Will Convoy Commander and AAW Sector Commander. Officer in Charge of Special Operations Boat Units during combat operations with the Naval Special Warfare Group in Vietnam. (Experience in joint naval operations including with small combatant craft, Cruiser and Destroyer units, Expeditionary / Amphibious units, and the Maritime Preposition Force.)

Admiral Smith has a broad base of risk management experience in the military, private sector, and federal government with success in facilitating organizational change and building resilient teams. He has a network of government and private sector contacts to help facilitate the best possible collaboration to assist in the critically important effective application and development of innovative technology.

Professional awards include among others the Defense Distinguished Service Medal, Navy Distinguished Service Medal, two Defense Superior Service Medals, four Legions of Merit, and two Bronze Stars with Combat “V.” He has a bachelor’s degree in business (industrial management) from the University of Texas, and a master’s degree in National Security Affairs & Strategic Studies from the Naval War College. While at NWC he won First Honorable Mention in the 1991 NWC Annual Essay Contest with his paper on conducting naval operations in littoral waters close to shore, particularly during heightened tensions short of open conflict. (Now in 2024 called “Gray War”) 

RADM Smith consults and advises in the areas listed below or other areas consistent with his expertise:

• The development and application of innovative technology to meet military or other customer requirements.

• Defense Adaptive Red Teaming. (Assessing own organizational risk, technology, policy, doctrine, and operational procedures.)

• Homeland Security, Maritime Security, and National Defense.

• Disaster Preparedness, Resilience, and Recovery. (Including Humanitarian Assistance / Disaster Management (HA/DM) Operations, and long-term community economic recovery)

• Federal Agency Enterprise Risk Management and Insider Threat Programs.

• Federal agency organization, inter-agency collaboration, and coordination.

• Small Business Start-Up and Innovative Technology development supporting DoD.

Broad and deep experience with a superb personal, professional network facilitates the development of innovative and effective ideas to effectively address complex issues, determining and implementing optimal solutions and effective applications of technology. Welcomes and enjoys collaborating with a team and welcomes the challenges of working with diverse organizations.

Past Top Secret Security Clearance (Currently Inactive)