Newspapers / The Carolina Times (Durham, … / Oct. 30, 1982, edition 1 / Page 35
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MILLER'S OBRIE SMITH: Spreading the Blessings Ability, determination, confi dence and compassion. These characteristics, more than any others, have helped Obrie Smith through each major step in his life. The St. Louis, Missouri native is a product of hard-working parents who were una ble to finish elementary school. How ever, through parental support cou pled with a passionate desire to succeed, Obrie Smith defeated the odds and has gone on to become Director of Corporate Communica tions at Miller Brewing Company in Milwaukee. Although Smith has attained what some would consider the pinnacle of corporate achievement, he is not only striving for more career milestones but remains constantly aware of the importance of spreading the bless ings. Since joining Miller Brewery in 1978, this highly-motivated executive has helped to channel dollars and resources to America's Black commu nities for the overall betterment of its businesses as well as private citizens. Obrie Smith has always been an exceptional human being. A diligent student, Smith was a member of the National Honor Society while in high school. He took a number of acceler ated courses while developing a spe cial keenness for math. After graduat ing summer high school in the top of his class in 1959, Smith had set his goals toward becoming a math teacher and eventually a high school princi pal. Although he really had no money to speak of, Smith enrolled in Harris Teacher's College. After the first semester, however, he determined that the school's curriculum was not in line with what he was seeking. A high school friend had enrolled at Lincoln University in Jefferson City, Missouri. Wishing to change schools and remain with his friend, Obrie Smith also enrolled at Lincoln. Smith began as a Chemistry major at Lincoln and worked his way through college by doing jobs that included, working in the cafeteria, cleaning professors' homes and test ing gasoline and fuel oil for the State of Missouri. The many jobs and extra curricular activities with which Smith was involved subsequently caused him to change his major to math. Determined to succeed by "whatever it took," Smith switched to math because the course schedule was less conflicting. He went on to obtain a Master's Degree in Secondary Education for Principals. Obrie Smith Interrupting his ambitions to be a math teacher was a stint in the Army. Smith began as a Second Lieutenant, was promoted to First Lieutenant and after duty in Germany, was sent to Fort Campbell, Kentucky as a Com pany Commander. Smith never went to Vietnam, but spent 53 weeks in Germany. Of Germany, he comments how the very next day after his arrival he was able to find lodging with a German family. He related that both he and his wife were treated very well. However, upon returning to Kentucky he could not find a place for he and his wife to live. Due to the indifference of apart ment owners around the Fort Camp bell post, Smith was allowed to live in the non-commissioned officers' quarters in Fort Campbell. Of this incident Smith reflects, "...I thought how ironic. ..the country where I was born.. .the country I'm serving right now, where people say pull yourself up by your own boot straps and I couldn't find a decent place to live and in Germany I did." After leaving the service Smith decided that he no longer wanted to teach. "New opportunities were arriv ing for Blacks," he stated, "and I resolved that I wanted to explore them." With his departure from the service eminent, Smith began writing a num ber of companies regarding employ ment prospects. Of the companies contacted, General Motors responded most favorably. Subsequently, GM hired Smith, and after working six years in the St. Louis plant, sent him to Harvard Business School to attend its Executive Management Training Program. Obrie Smith worked for GM until 1978. Always maintaining an eye for advancement, Smith decided to test the job market in July of that year. By October he had job offers which included Polaroid, Southland Corpo ration and Miller Brewing Company. Miller, however, offered the most con crete advancement opportunities, so Smith joined that company as Man ager of Community Relations. Smith continued to climb the cor porate ladder at Miller and in his present capacity as Director of Corpo rate Communications he has taken on broad responsibilities that include management of all External Corporate Communications, Public Relations Brand Communications, corporate contributions, tour program, and Miller's Community Relations Pro gram. One of the most significant facts regarding Obrie Smith's duties is that they expand beyond the Black area. In contrast to many companies where blacks are relegated to interact exclu sively with minority groups, Smith's role embraces the full range of mana gerial responsibilities which include and are not limited to: staffing, staff development, budgeting and control, planning and coordination, depart mental and company policy formula tion, and the development, imple mentation and evaluation of Miller's public relations programs and activi ties. In addition to Smith's primary responsibilities, he continues to maintain a special interest in Miller's involvement in the black community. In helping Blacks, Smith spear heads a number of Miller's programs designed to put something back into the communities in which the com pany operates. He has a special inter est in education and is chairman of the BusinessIndustry Cluster Pro gram at North Carolina A&T in Greensboro, North Carolina. In fact, one of the conditions that he requested before joining Miller was that the company permit him to foster his relationship with North Carolina A&T on Miller's behalf. With full cor porate support, Smith developed the first scholarship program in the Philip Morris family for students at A&T, Grambling, Southern, Alcorn and Albany State. To increase the number of Black engineers, Miller established an internship program in which a schol arship is offered to outstanding engi neering students, after completing their sophomore year. Continued on page 15 11
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