Bob Smith

Bob Smith exemplifies leadership in television broadcasting through a career of leading stations and staffs in Wisconsin and throughout the country. Smith started and grew his career in Wisconsin and continues to live in Wisconsin in his position of Executive Vice President and Co-Chief Operating Officer of Gray Television.

Smith was an account executive at WEAU-TV in Eau Claire when he started his career in 1986. He later became the station’s local sales manager. His career with Benedek Broadcasting continued over the following decade taking him to leadership roles at stations in Virginia and Illinois where he went from leading sales departments to leading whole stations. In 2000, he became general manager at WMTV-TV in Madison and he eventually expanded his responsibilities to overseeing seven markets for Gray Television after it acquired Benedek Broadcasting in 2002. He was promoted to his current position in 2013 where he has corporate responsibilities and oversees revenue and operations for Gray stations in the Midwest and Western regions of the U.S.

Smith is a mentor who guides his employees while giving them autonomy. He is credited with making stations run better and making them more community minded.