Rick W. Smith Sr. is the Kentucky Council on Postsecondary Education (CPE)’s new associate vice president for workforce and economic development. He started July 1 and is part of the president’s executive team.

He most recently was president and CEO of the United Way of Ross County, Ohio. In the past, he served as senior vice president of advancement and chief development officer for the Kentucky College of Art + Design and vice president of development, alumni relations and athletics at Kentucky State University.
Smith earned a bachelor’s degree in broadcast communication from the University of Louisville, a master’s in business administration from Kennedy Western University and a master’s in philanthropic studies from Indiana-Purdue University.