Bill Smith

Founder & CEO

Bill Smith was born and raised in Madison County, Indiana. He and his wife, Karen, have five children and thirteen grandchildren.

Smith is the recipient of several commendations and awards, including the Indiana National Guard’s Distinguished Service Medal and Indiana’s Sagamore of the Wabash.

Before the founding of Sextons Creek, Smith served as the chief-of-staff for Mike Pence in the Indiana Governor’s Office and previously in Pence’s congressional offices. His duties during his time of service included:


Chief of Staff – Governor Mike Pence – 2013 to 2014

  • Chief Employing Officer for the State of Indiana
  • Chief Advisor to the Governor of the State of Indiana
  • Chief Liaison to the Indiana General Assembly and Indiana Supreme Court
  • Oversight of all state agency heads and senior staff (70+ state agencies and over 30,000 state employees)
  • Chief liaison between all public safety entities (Homeland Security, National Guard, State Police, Department of Corrections and Department of Natural Resources) and the Governor

 

Transition Director – Governor-elect Mike Pence – 2012

  • Coordinated the move into the Governor’s office after Mike Pence’s election.
  • Liaison between the out-going Governor and staff and the in-coming Governor and staff
  • Responsible for background checks, vetting and interviewing of all candidates for agency leadership. Over 70 state agency directors needed to be hired or retained for the new administration
  • Responsible for hiring of over 40 staff members for the Governor’s personal office
  • Assisted with media relations and policy development, including development of Indiana’s state budget and legislative agenda

 

Senior Advisor – Mike Pence for Indiana – 2012

  • Provided guidance and oversight to staff, policy, budget and political plan for gubernatorial campaign.
  • Chaired the committee responsible for the vetting, interviewing and recommending of a candidate for Lieutenant Governor.

 

Senior Advisor – House Republican Conference – United States House of Representatives – 2009 to 2011

  • The House Republican Conference is the caucus of all Republican members of the United States House of Representatives. The chairman is the third ranking member of leadership in the House. In his role as Senior Advisor, Smith provided general oversight of the staff of the Conference and provided advice and counsel to the Chairman and leadership team.

 

Chief of Staff – Congressman Mike Pence – 2001 to 2013

  • Staff management and development
  • Oversight of $1.3 million annual budget
  • Management of four congressional offices (Washington, DC – Anderson, Indiana – Muncie, Indiana – Richmond, Indiana)
  • Oversight of all strategic communications and media relations
  • Primary ambassador of the Congressman to foreign dignitaries, select lobbies and community leaders
  • Chief policy and political advisor to the Congressman​

 

Campaign Manager – Mike Pence for Congress – 2000
Responsible for oversight of all aspects of the campaign, including:

  • Staff hiring and management
  • Volunteer development and coordination
  • Budget development and oversight
  • Production of television and radio scripts and oversight of production of print, radio and television advertising
  • Management of coalition building
  • Crafting of messaging to media for short-term crisis-management and long-term strategies

 

Prior to his service with Pence, he was the founding director of the Indiana Family Institute, a public policy organization dedicated to the strengthening of family life in the Hoosier State. He lead the non-profit organization as its executive director for more than a decade. He hosted a daily radio talk show called “Indiana Family Forum” and edited a monthly newsletter with a readership of more than 20,000 households.

From 1983 until 1989, Smith worked as the legislative director and chief-of-staff for Congressman Dan Burton of Indiana.

Smith has managed and served with several political campaigns during his 30 years of involvement in the public square.

Bill currently serves as a board member with several not-for-profit organizations, working with them to improve their management structure, communications strategies, and internal development:

  • National Center for Complex Operations (Secretary)
  • Duck Creek Center for the Arts (Chairman)
  • The Attic Theatre (Chairman)
  • Invisible Girl Project (Chairman)
  • Down But Not Out (Board Member)