Guy Smith - Chairman
Guy L. Smith was appointed a member of the Board of Directors in June 2005, and was appointed Chairman effective November 14, 2018.
Mr. Smith has been the Executive Vice President of Diageo, the world’s leading premium drinks company, since 2000 and is responsible for Corporate Relations and Marketing Public Relations. At Diageo, Mr. Smith’s responsibilities include overseeing the corporation’s civic and social responsibility efforts in North America, including the Diageo Marketing Code. The code governs the company’s social responsibility activities with regard to the marketing and sale of alcoholic beverages and the company’s undertakings to reduce underage access and abuse of alcohol.
From 1998 to 1999, prior to joining Diageo, Mr. Smith was Special Advisor to President Clinton on The White House staff, where he served on the impeachment defense team. Mr. Smith also served as an informal strategic communications advisor to President Clinton from the beginning of the Clinton Administration. From 1999 to 2000, Mr. Smith was associated with The Hawthorn Group, a Washington-based public affairs firm, as well as with his own firm, Smith Worldwide Inc., from 1994 to 1996, which focused on reputation and crisis management. He was Chief Operating Officer of Hill & Knowlton International Public Relations, from 1992 to 1993, where he consulted with the firm’s largest consumer product, technology, and legal clients. Prior to that Mr. Smith was Vice President-Corporate Affairs, the senior public affairs and public relations officer, for Philip Morris Companies Inc. from 1975 to 1992. During his 17 years with Philip Morris, Mr. Smith led the Corporate Affairs departments of the Miller Brewing Company and The Seven-Up Company, both then Philip Morris operating companies. Mr. Smith began his career as a reporter and assistant city editor for The Knoxville Journal. He is currently chairman of the Barrier Island Trust, an environmental protection organization and sits on the Board of Advisors of Mount Vernon, George Washington’s home outside Washington, D.C. Mr. Smith also serves as an Honorary Battalion Chief of the Fire Department of New York. Mr. Smith was selected to serve as a Director in part due to his extensive experience with the alcoholic beverage business and other businesses that rely on age verification, his work in government and public relations, his knowledge of the Company, including as a director of Intelli-Check, Inc. prior to the merger with Mobilisa and his general business experience.