Ken Smith

Chief of Party, Russia

With over 34 years of experience in senior banking management and an extensive agricultural cooperative credit background, Ken Smith is chief of party for ACDI/VOCA-Russia, which includes agribusiness, financial services and enterprise development programs. He has experience in commercial banking and rural finance and lending, including developing the appropriate legislative and regulatory frameworks for improved financial services. Mr. Smith has worked in Russia and Eastern Europe for 13 years, including 4 years in the Ukraine and 7 years in the Sakhalin region of Russia. He has overseen the creation of a microfinance institution (MFI) in Ukraine and two MFIs in Sakhalin, which are financially solvent and actively providing access to credit for small and medium-sized enterprises and microentrepreneurs. The institutions in Sakhalin have issued over $36 million in loans in the last 7 years. Mr. Smith headed the efforts of these MFIs to collaborate with local commercial banking institutions to increase their loan capital and expand the number of their branches. He assisted the MFIs in developing their credit operations by building their capacities to conduct credit analyses, establish improved financial credit procedures and provide lending capital. He also increased the long-term sustainability of commercial banks and credit union partners by focusing on their understanding, adoption and routine application of sound financial practices and lending procedures. In Sakhalin, he developed and conducted four advanced credit trainings for commercial banks. In addition, he has trained and assisted banks in the development of an allowance-for-loan-losses program. He earned his B.A. in business and finance from Abilene Christian College in Texas.