Chairman and President of Crowell-Collier Publishing Company
Paul C. Smith, founding member of the Foundation’s Board of Trustees (1954-1966), had a meteoric career in the publishing field, including serving as president and chief executive officer of Crowell-Collier Publishing Company.
Mr. Smith’s early career at the San Francisco Chronicle was marked with quick growth, advancing in rank from financial editor, to executive editor to general manager before the age of 27. At the beginning of World War II, Mr. Smith left to join the Navy as a lieutenant commander. Mr. Smith returned to the Chronicle and stayed there as editor until 1952, resuming his publishing career. He later joined Crowell-Collier as a vice president and was named president and chief executive officer in 1954.