Richard A Smith

Richard A. Smith, a former member of both of Harvard’s governing boards, has died September 9 2020 at age 95. Smith went to work for General Cinema Corp. after WWII, then a family-controlled drive-in theater chain. Rising to become chairman and chief executive officer, he led the company’s development into a diversified enterprise known as Harcourt General Inc., a Fortune 500 company that at various times included movie theaters, publishing, retail stores (including Neiman Marcus), and other lines of business. Smith is a well-known philanthropist and a Forbes 400 millionaire with assets totaling about $460 million. Smith is well-respected in the business community for building General Cinema into a billion-dollar entertainment, publishing and retail empire. General Cinema, which was founded by Smith's father, is now the nation's largest motion picture exhibitor. Under Smith, General Cinema purchased the publishing firm Harcourt Brace Jovanovich for $1.4 billion. The conglomerate also owns 60 percent of the Nieman Marcus Group and has played a leading role in the nation's soda bottling industry. The resident of Chestnut Hill stepped down as the company's chief executive officer in October 1991 after 30 years at the post, but remains involved as the chair of the corporation. Smith is actively involved with several local medical organizations. He is the vice chair and former chair of the board of the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, vice president of the United Cerebral Palsy Research and Education Foundation and an honorary trustee of the Beth Israel Hospital. Smith has also been a key fundraiser for the Harvard Medical School, serving on the school's National Campaign Committee for several years. In addition to the Board of Overseers, Smith serves on several influential governing committees at Harvard, including the board of the Aeneas Group, Inc., a subsidiary of the Harvard Management Company. Smith also sits on the executive committee of the Committee on University Resources, the standing committees on financial policy, humanities and arts, and the Joint Committee on Appointments. He is also the chair of the Visiting Committee to the Harvard Business School.