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Wayne E Smith
The Man - The Auther
Who is Wayne E. Smith?
Dedicated Excellence in Publishing.
Born into the humbling beginnings of a Midwest farm, Wayne E. Smith’s early life was framed by the simplicity and challenges of rural existence. His childhood home, void of modern conveniences like running water, electricity, or indoor plumbing, became the crucible for his tenacious spirit and appreciation for hard work and personal responsibility.
Smith’s ambitions stretched beyond the expansive fields of his upbringing. He harbored a dream, nurtured from a young age, to exchange the Midwest horizons for California’s sun-soaked landscapes and ocean breezes.
Pioneering his family’s academic trail, Smith worked diligently as a construction laborer, earning $1.17 per hour to finance his education. His perseverance paid off when he graduated from the University of Missouri with a degree in speech and drama, marking the first stride toward his Californian dream.
Smith’s journey into the professional world began as a disc jockey at a local Missouri radio station. His voice and charm resonated across the airwaves in three cities before fate nudged him toward Yuma, Arizona. The move was strategic, a stepping stone closer to the shores of California.
Opportunity knocked when the Yuma station owner, recognizing Smith’s innate leadership, offered him the task of launching an FM radio station in a Los Angeles suburb. At 26, Smith established the station and managed it for over a year. However, in 1962, with FM radio’s commercial viability still in its infancy and a growing family to support, Smith shifted gears.
The broadcasting dream was shelved as he ventured into the advertising world as a small Los Angeles agency copywriter. Smith’s talent and ambition saw him rise to vice president within eight years, setting the stage for his next endeavor – his advertising agency. His business acumen led the agency from a modest beginning to a multimillion-dollar enterprise.
Retiring to Palm Springs, California, in his early 60s, Smith’s restless spirit soon led him back into the workforce. This time, it was through the lens of a local television program spotlighting golf courses alongside Senior PGA player Tommy Jacobs.
Boston beckoned in his mid-seventies, and proximity to family and an unquenchable thirst for knowledge saw Smith back in the classroom. At 75, he earned a Master’s degree in leadership from Northeastern University.
Smith’s final chapters found him on the West Coast and later in Austin, Texas. Now an octogenarian widower, his tireless quest for knowledge turned toward philanthropy. Smith now devotes his writing prowess to guiding future generations, crafting nonfiction books to empower emerging leaders, enhancing established ones, and enriching lives with fulfillment and character.
At 89, Wayne E. Smith remains a beacon of lifelong learning and giving, a testament to the belief that accumulated wisdom is the most incredible legacy one can share. His life, a tapestry of success, setbacks, joy, and grief, is a narrative of unwavering resolve and inspirational leadership.
