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Alan Smith
President

Alan Smith currently serves as president of Â鶹app, where he leads the institution’s efforts in business and community engagement, advancement, campus culture, and student experience. A steadfast advocate for student success and regional growth, Smith has become a key figure within the Gadsden State service area—building strong partnerships with K-12 systems, business and industry leaders, and local municipalities.

Prior to his interim presidency, Smith served as Vice President of Capital Projects, Community Relations, and Workforce Development, overseeing critical areas of college operations and strategic planning. In that role, he provided leadership and supervision for the Dean of Student Services, Dean of Academics, Dean of Health Sciences, Dean of Workforce Development, and the Director of Capital Projects. He also led institutional planning in areas such as facility development, public relations, and workforce expansion—ensuring Gadsden State remained aligned with the needs of the region's economy.

Since joining Gadsden State in 2019 as Dean of Workforce Development, Smith has directed over $38 million in investments in career and technical education, including the creation of the Advanced Manufacturing and Workplace Skills Training Center, a state-of-the-art facility designed to prepare students for in-demand, high-wage careers. He also provided oversight for Engineering Technologies, Applied Technologies, Adult Education, Continuing Education, and the Skills Training Division.

Smith’s journey as an educator began at Etowah County Schools, where he taught agriscience for 11 years before founding and operating a successful construction and cabinet-manufacturing business. In 2012, he returned to education as a building construction instructor and school administrator at the Etowah County Career Technical Center, where he also implemented and led Alabama’s Simulated Workplace program. His dedication to excellence in the K-12 space earned him multiple Teacher of the Year awards, and he was named Alabama’s Most Outstanding Agriscience Technology Teacher.

Smith holds a Bachelor of Science in Agricultural Business and Economics and a Master of Science in Education from Auburn University, along with a Master’s in Educational Leadership from the University of Alabama.

His leadership has been recognized at the state and local levels. In 2023, he was awarded the Chancellor’s Award for Administrators by the Alabama Community College System. In 2024, he received the Excellence in Post-Secondary Administration Award from the Etowah Chamber of Commerce. He has also received the Chamber of Commerce Chairperson’s Award. 

He has served on governor-appointed committees, including the Region 2 Workforce Development Committee, the WIOA Board, and the Alabama Committee on Credentialing and Career Pathways, where he served as a subject matter expert for Architecture and Construction. He currently serves as Chair of the Workforce Commission for the Alabama Community College Association.

With more than three decades of educational and workforce experience—and a lifelong connection to Gadsden State—Alan Smith is committed to expanding access, fostering innovation, and strengthening the college’s role as a true community institution that transforms lives through learning.

Executive Cabinet

Meet members of the Gadsden State Cabinet.

2024 ANNUAL REPORT

Read about the milestones and achievements from 2023 in the Annual Report.  

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