Scott C. Smith

Scott Smith joined the McCormick Foundation’s Board of Directors in 2005 and was elected Chairman in 2025.

He completed his 30-year career as a Tribune Company executive in 2008, when he retired following the sale of the company. From 2004 to 2008, he served as president of Tribune Publishing, overseeing the company’s newspapers and digital businesses. From 1997 to 2004, and 2006 to 2008, he was president and publisher of the Chicago Tribune, leading the award-winning newspaper, plus related Chicagoland print and digital businesses. Previously, he was publisher of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel 1993-1997, Tribune’s senior vice president/development 1991-1993, and chief financial officer 1985-1991, and he held other corporate financial management roles 1977-1985. He started his career at Northern Trust Company 1973-1977.

Scott serves on the boards of Mather, Northwestern Memorial Foundation, and the Chicago Humanities. He is a Life Trustee and Past Chairman of National Louis University, Director Emeritus and Past Chairman of The Chicago Public Education Fund, Past Chair of the YMCA of Metropolitan Chicago, and a Life Member of the Kellogg Global Advisory Board at Northwestern University.

A native of the Chicago area, he holds a bachelor’s degree from Yale University and a master’s degree from Kellogg School of Management, Northwestern University. He and his wife, Martha, reside in Winnetka and have two married children and five grandchildren.