Gray Smith

I am committed to growing local, independent media’s role as an essential ingredient in an informed, thoughtful, inclusive, and culturally stimulating community.

Gray has experienced the impact of media deregulation first-hand. Motivated by the regulatory changes that have put the majority of Louisville audience control into the hands of only four long-distance corporations, Gray joined the newly-created Louisville Public Media as Director of Corporate Support in 1997. Since that time, the public radio audience has become the market’s largest in terms listenership, annual business sponsorship revenue has grown more than 900%, and the business sponsorship department at LPM has been recognized nationally for its performance on three separate occasions. Gray loves the win-win model of public radio – business sponsors enjoy exceptional results while supporting a vital community institution that is highly valued by so many.

Gray’s first sales position was with WLRS in Louisville, when the iconic family-owned station was the market’s #1. He spent the last ten years of his 19-year commercial radio career as sales manager at WLRS and WRKA

Gray is a frequent consultant to the industry on best practices, and was named by his peers as Public Radio Development Professional of the Year in 2011.Gray is a patent holding inventor, fumbling musician, board game designer, and two-time gold medalist in the Kentucky Master’s division pole vault.
Email Gray at gsmith@lpm.org.