Governance > Board of Directors

Rodney I. Smith | Wesley A. Taylor | Ashley B. Smith | Andrew Kavounis | Ed Broenniman | G. E. Borst | William J. Clayton

Rodney I. Smith
Chairman of the Board

Rodney I. Smith

Chairman of the Board, rsmith@smithmidland.com

Mr. Rodney Smith, a native of Fauquier County, Virginia, co-founded Smith-Cattleguard Company (later to become Smith-Midland Corporation) with his father in 1960. Capitalizing on the success of a line of precast concrete farm products, the company soon expanded its markets with the introduction of underground utility products, highway safety barrier, utility buildings and soundwall. These products were patented and equally successful.

Mr. Smith became Smith-Cattleguard’s President and Chief Executive Officer in 1965. He has served on the Board of Directors and has been its Chairman since 1970. He is the principal developer and inventor of the Company’s proprietary and patented products.

Mr. Smith founded Concrete Safety Systems in 1977, the first company formed for the sole purpose of leasing precast concrete highway safety barrier to contractors and state highway departments. In 1978 he formed Easi-Set Industries, the first full-service multiple product licensing company for the precast industry. Today, there are more than fifty Easi-Set licensees in 37 states and six countries, who manufacture and sell the proven products that have been established by Smith-Midland Corporation. Also in 1978, Mr. Smith founded Smith-Carolina Corporation, a manufacturing plant in North Carolina. Ad Ventures, an advertising agency for Smith-Midland Corporation (DE) and Easi-Set licensees, was also founded by Mr. Smith.

In recognition of Mr. Smith’s success as a manufacturer whose products have achieved the distinction of becoming the accepted standard for the industry, he was elected president of the National Precast Concrete Association in 1979. He was named Virginia’s Small Business Person of the Year in 1980 by Jimmy Carter. He is a member of the Pre-cast/Pre-stressed Concrete institute and the American Concrete Institute. He has served thirty years on the Board of Trustees of Bridgewater College, Bridgewater, VA and is active in several local civic and charitable organizations, such as Midland Christian Academy, in Midland, VA.

Wesley A. Taylor
Director of the Board

Wesley A. Taylor

Director, wtaylor@smithmidland.com

Mr. Wesley Taylor has served as Vice President of Administration to the Company since 1989 and as a Director since 1994, he previously held the positions of Controller and Director of Personnel and Administration for Smith-Midland (VA). Prior to his career with Smith-Midland Delaware, Wesley worked for the criminal justice system as Assistant Superintendent in a maximum security facility, after 8 years he entered the private sector and subsequently worked in Human Resource Administration to both the petroleum and printing industries. Mr. Taylor holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Northwestern State University.

Ashley B. Smith
Director of the Board

Ashley B. Smith

Director, asmith@smithmidland.com

Mr. Ashley Smith has served as Vice President of Smith-Midland Corporation (DE) since 1990 and as a Director since 1994. He is the current President/Chief Operating Officer of Smith-Midland (VA) and during his time working with Smith-Midland Corporation, has previously held the positions of Vice President of Sales to Smith-Midland (VA) and Managing Director to Easi-Set Industries, leading Smith-Midland Corporation (VA) to the highest sales levels in its’ history without increasing the sales force.

Ashley has been active as a leader on several industry committees including the internationally recognized trade association, National Precast Concrete Association. He volunteers locally where he is a founding member of the citizens’ committee to open the Fauquier County Branch Library, is a member of the citizens’ committee to raise funds to provide lights for the Liberty High School Football field, and serves as a soccer coach. Smith holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration from Bridgewater College.

Andrew Kavounis
Director of the Board

Andrew Kavounis

Director, agk25@msn.com

Mr. Andrew Kavounis has served as a Director of Smith-Midland Corporation (DE) since 1995. He was President of Core Development Co., Inc., a privately held construction and development company, from 1991 until he retired in 1995. From 1989 to 1991, he was the Executive Vice President of the Leadership Group, a Maryland based builder and developer. Prior to that time, he spent 37 years as an executive at assorted construction and development companies, which included a position as the National Vice President of Ryland Homes, a privately held company, in which capacity he was directly responsible for the construction of 17,000 homes annually, nationwide.

Mr. Kavounis received a Bachelor of Science degree in Chemical Engineering from Presbyterian College, a Bachelor of Science degree in Civil and Mechanical Engineering from Wofford College, and a Master’s degree in Business Administration from the University of South Carolina.

Ed Broenniman
Director of the Board

Ed Broenniman

Advisor, edb@piedmontgrp.com

Mr. Ed Broenniman has been an Advisor to Smith-Midland Corporation (DE) since 1992. He has 30 years of management and executive experience with high-tech, public and privately-held growth companies where he has served as a CEO, COO, or Director, using his expertise to focus management on increasing profitability, strategic planning and building stockholder value.

Mr. Broenniman is the Managing Director of The Piedmont Group, LLC, a corporate advisory firm. He has built and sold four technology companies. He serves on a public Board, Aethlon Medical (AEMD) where he is Chair of the Compensation Committee and a member of the Audit Committee. He is on the Board of two privately held IT firms and has served on public company boards as well as venture backed firms. He is Chair of the National Capital Chapter, National Association of Corporate Directors. He was the first Entrepreneur in Residence at the Dingman Center University of Maryland.

G. E. Borst
Advisor of the Board

G. E. Borst

Advisor, nborst@yahoo.com

Mr. “Nick” Borst has been a stock holder in Smith-Midland Corporation (DE) since 2001 and an Advisor since 2005. He is a Virginia attorney. He served as a trial attorney with the federal government before entering private practice. He previously served as president of the Fauquier County Bar Association and as a three-year treasurer of the Fauquier County Chamber of Commerce. In private law practice, Mr. Borst advised clients on business organization and governance.

Mr. Borst is president and co-founder of Humat Inc., a manufacturer of fire-fighting equipment that is used by fire departments across America. He is co-founder and past president of Hospice of Fauquier County. He is co-founder and long-time board member of Verdun Adventure Bound, an organization that provides experiential learning programs to over 2,000 young people a year.

William J. Clayton
Advisor of the Board

William J. Clayton

Advisor

Mr. “Bill” Clayton has been an Advisor to Smith-Midland Corporation (DE) since 2006. He has 40+ years of experience in construction related industries, both public and privately owned, first in the cement, block, and ready-mix industries, followed by 36 years with High Concrete Structures, Inc., (originally Kurtz Precast Corp.) At High Concrete, he served in the positions of Production Manager, Vice President of Production, Executive Vice President, and ultimately 27 years as President of the organization.

During Mr. Clayton’s time with High Concrete, the Company (located in Denver, PA), grew to become the largest single-location precast/prestressed concrete manufacturer in the United States, and attained the distinction of having produced the most precast parking garages of any precaster in the nation. While at High Concrete he guided the company from $2.5 million to $93 million in annual sales and oversaw the introduction of numerous innovative developments and products, including the first 15' wide double tees.

Mr. Clayton is President Emeritus of High Concrete, Past Chair of the Precast-Prestressed Concrete Institute, an international organization of professionals (designers) and producers of concrete products, and past President of the Architectural Precast Association.