Intuit President and CEO Brad Smith and Life Long Educator Jacqueline Taylor Receive Honors
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(Grand Rapids, Mich.) – On Thursday, September 25, Aquinas College will honor notable
alumni as a part of its 13th annual Awards Gala. Brad Smith ’91, president and CEO
of Intuit, a software company based in California, will receive the Outstanding Alumnus
Award. Jacqueline D. Taylor '80, Ph.D., a higher education administrator for more
than 30 years, will receive the Outstanding Alumna Award.
“Both Brad Smith and Jacqueline Taylor are outstanding examples of Aquinas alumni,” said President Juan Olivarez. “In their fields they have set great examples for innovation and long term thinking. We’re proud to honor them both and to count them among our graduates.”
Smith earned his master of management degree from Aquinas College in 1991. Prior to joining Intuit, he served as the senior vice president of marketing and business development at ADP in Grand Rapids. In 2003, he joined Intuit as the vice president and general manager of the Accountant Central and Developer Network. He then went on to lead the company’s Consumer Tax Group, which produces TurboTax. In 2005, Smith became the senior vice president and general manager of Intuit’s Small Business Division, which included QuickBooks, Quicken and payroll products. In 2008, he was named Intuit’s president and chief executive office. From 2010 to 2013, Smith served on the board of directors for Yahoo! Inc., and in 2013, was appointed to the board of directors for Nordstrom, Inc.
Taylor earned a bachelor’s degree from Aquinas College in 1980, and holds an M.A. and Ph.D. from Michigan State University. During her 30 plus years in higher education administration, she served as president of Fulton Montgomery Community College in New York, vice president/executive dean of the Community College of Allegheny County in Pittsburgh, was the first female vice president of Lansing Community College and served as vice president of Davenport University. She currently serves as a consultant and executive coach for Pondera Advisors, a leadership consulting practice. She also serves on the boards of the Michigan Women’s Foundation, the Michigan Nonprofit Association, and the YMCA Corporate Board in Grand Rapids.
During the Award Gala, Aquinas will also induct three people into the Athletic Hall of Fame and two into the Aquinas College Hall of Fame:
Athletic Hall of Fame Inductees:
Cari (Blind) Setzler ’00; All-American Track
S. Jason Carver ’02; All-American Track
Jerry Hendrick; Lifetime Achievement Award – Tennis
Aquinas College Hall of Fame Inductees:
Charles R. Frydrych ‘63
Sister Barbara H. Hansen ’62, O.P.,Ph.D.
“Both Brad Smith and Jacqueline Taylor are outstanding examples of Aquinas alumni,” said President Juan Olivarez. “In their fields they have set great examples for innovation and long term thinking. We’re proud to honor them both and to count them among our graduates.”
Smith earned his master of management degree from Aquinas College in 1991. Prior to joining Intuit, he served as the senior vice president of marketing and business development at ADP in Grand Rapids. In 2003, he joined Intuit as the vice president and general manager of the Accountant Central and Developer Network. He then went on to lead the company’s Consumer Tax Group, which produces TurboTax. In 2005, Smith became the senior vice president and general manager of Intuit’s Small Business Division, which included QuickBooks, Quicken and payroll products. In 2008, he was named Intuit’s president and chief executive office. From 2010 to 2013, Smith served on the board of directors for Yahoo! Inc., and in 2013, was appointed to the board of directors for Nordstrom, Inc.
Taylor earned a bachelor’s degree from Aquinas College in 1980, and holds an M.A. and Ph.D. from Michigan State University. During her 30 plus years in higher education administration, she served as president of Fulton Montgomery Community College in New York, vice president/executive dean of the Community College of Allegheny County in Pittsburgh, was the first female vice president of Lansing Community College and served as vice president of Davenport University. She currently serves as a consultant and executive coach for Pondera Advisors, a leadership consulting practice. She also serves on the boards of the Michigan Women’s Foundation, the Michigan Nonprofit Association, and the YMCA Corporate Board in Grand Rapids.
During the Award Gala, Aquinas will also induct three people into the Athletic Hall of Fame and two into the Aquinas College Hall of Fame:
Athletic Hall of Fame Inductees:
Cari (Blind) Setzler ’00; All-American Track
S. Jason Carver ’02; All-American Track
Jerry Hendrick; Lifetime Achievement Award – Tennis
Aquinas College Hall of Fame Inductees:
Charles R. Frydrych ‘63
Sister Barbara H. Hansen ’62, O.P.,Ph.D.