The Rose Institute of State and Local Government at Claremont McKenna College (CMC) Board of Governors has appointed Ryder Todd Smith ’96 as chair. Smith, who joined the Rose Institute’s board in 2016, has served as acting chair since April 2020. He succeeds Ray Remy ’59, who passed away in December 2019.
Smith is president and co-founder of Tripepi Smith, a marketing, communications, and public affairs firm serving over 180 clients including cities, counties, private companies, and nonprofits throughout the western United States. He also publishes PublicCEO and Civic Business Journal, which provide daily news to local government leaders.
Smith has a long-term association with the Rose Institute. A 1996 graduate of CMC, he worked during his college years as one of the Institute’s student research assistants. He also has been an active supporter of the College, serving as president of the CMC Alumni Association from 2008-2010. Ryder is married to Nicole Smith ’96, co-founder and CFO of Tripepi Smith. They have one daughter and reside in Tustin.
“Ryder is an excellent choice to chair the Rose Institute’s Board,” said Ken Miller, the director of the Rose Institute of State and Local Government. “He is a respected leader in the local government sector in California and understands how public agencies operate and the challenges they face. Ryder is also an alum of the Institute and is committed to our distinctive mission. I look forward to working with him in this role.”
Founded in 1973, the Rose Institute is one of the nation’s leading academic centers focused on the study of state and local government. The Institute’s research is led by nationally recognized faculty who supervise student research teams. Its areas of expertise include public opinion, redistricting, elections, demographics, criminal justice, and fiscal policy. The Institute helps its students develop their capacity to become leaders in state and local government and other sectors.
The Rose Institute’s 17-member Board of Governors provides strategic advice to the Institute and works closely with its faculty and students. The board includes state and local government officials, consultants, election lawyers, business leaders, thought leaders, and journalists. The board provides insights and advice to the Institute staff to help connect research with the pragmatic realities of state and local government in California. The board meets twice a year to conduct business and remains available as needed to support the Institute with both its intellectual insights and financial resources.
“The Rose is embarking on a new era with Dr. Miller as our new executive director. We enter this period with strength, built on a foundation of decades of impactful work and an intellectually diverse board who brings important insights to the students and staff at the Rose,” noted Smith. “I am honored to have been selected by my peers and respect the big shoes I have to fill of Chair Remy.”
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