Doug Smith joins US Sailing Foundation Board of Directors
by US Sailing 24 Mar 2022 12:48 PDT
The US Sailing Foundation Board of Directors unanimously elected one new member, Doug Smith of Oakland, CA, at their quarterly meeting in February, for a three-year term. A senior legal advisor to corporations, boards, and entrepreneurs, as well as an avid competitive sailor and advocate for the sport, Smith brings a wealth of knowledge and experience both on and off the water to the Foundation. Doug is also treasurer and a board member of the AmericaOne Foundation.
An active Star sailor, Smith competes on San Francisco Bay and internationally. He currently chairs the Star Class Judiciary Board and is a board member of the Treasure Island Sailing Center in San Francisco. He was previously Star Class Treasurer and a member of the Class Management Committee.
"Doug is an excellent choice to join the US Sailing Foundation board. He supported AmericaOne's initial investment in the Olympic Development Program, which is our country's successful first step back to Olympic success." said Paul Cayard, Executive Director of US Olympic Sailing and former AmericaOne skipper and CEO. "The depth of Doug's sailing knowledge, business experience, and passion for the sport will be an asset as we move forward toward reclaiming Olympic gold."
In 2000, Smith helped found, and was a director of, the AmericaOne team, St. Francis Yacht Club's challenge for the 2000 America's Cup. He later led negotiation of the sale of AmericaOne to Oracle Racing, which funded the AmericaOne Foundation. He also served on the board of the challenger associations for the 2000 and 2003 America's Cups.
Smith joins a board dedicated to reaching ambitious goals for the US Sailing Foundation. These include securing $5 million in matching funds for the US Sailing Association's Siebel Sailors Program, a unique national effort to expand sailing access and instruction for youth in under-resourced communities, and significantly expanding funding for Project Pinnacle, a comprehensive program to elevate all aspects of training and support for Olympic sailors so they can regain American supremacy at future Games.
Professionally, Smith advises companies and board members on high-profile, sensitive corporate issues, including mergers and acquisitions, management changes, and corporate governance. He retired as a partner from Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher's San Francisco office, where he practiced transactional law and led its financial institutions team for more than 20 years.
"I look forward to working with Doug to promote and strengthen the sport we both love," said US Sailing Foundation chair Bill Ruh. "This is a pivotal time in the Foundation's history as we move forward to improve access and diversity, and to increase competitive excellence at every level. We welcome all that Doug brings in pursuit of these bold objectives."