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SC alumnus and real estate executive Wil Smith has been elected to the USC Board of Trustees as one of its newest members. A 1999 graduate of the Dollinger Master of Real Estate Development (MRED) program at the USC Price School of Public Policy, Smith is the founder, president, and CEO of Greenlaw Partners, a Southern California-based commercial real estate development and operating company.

    Smith's leadership roles include serving as vice chair of the USC Price Board of Councilors and as a member of the executive committee of the USC Lusk Center for Real Estate. He has been a major supporter of USC Athletics and USC Price over many years, generously offering his time, expertise, and resources.

    In 2020, Smith's $10 million gift to USC Price established the USC Price Wilbur H. Smith III Department of Real Estate Development, funding student scholarships and faculty research. "The Board of Trustees is delighted to welcome Wil Smith," said USC Board of Trustees Chair Suzanne Nora Johnson. "He brings broad life experience and diverse perspectives to our board table."

    Smith grew up in Stockton and earned a bachelor's degree in agriculture at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo. His interest in major-market commercial real estate drew him to USC Price, where he found the MRED program prepared him to navigate complex systems of finance, design, and market analysis.

    After graduating, Smith used his student loan money to purchase a home in Orange County, which became seed money for starting his own business. He founded Greenlaw Partners in 2003, naming it after his grandfather, who was known for real estate development projects. Under Smith's leadership, the company has completed over $10 billion in acquisitions and dispositions across nearly 350 commercial properties.

    Smith is motivated to pay his success forward by helping USC students flourish academically and professionally. He frequently delivers guest lectures in USC Price classes and mentors graduate students in the real estate development program. The scholarships funded by his major gift are awarded to students based on a consideration of both merit and financial need.

    As a member of the USC Board of Trustees, Smith looks forward to lending his leadership skills to shaping USC's future. "I always want to help and support the school and do whatever I can to be a good alum and do my part," he said.