Joshua A. Smith
Department: Staff
Joshua A. Smith became President & Chief Executive Officer of the Butler County Finance Authority on April 8, 2024, following a unanimous selection by the Board of Directors. He brings 25 years of executive experience in city management in Iowa, Wisconsin, and Ohio, with a strong emphasis in economic development and public finance.
He holds a Masters of Public Administration degree from Iowa State University, and a Bachelors of Arts in Management from the University of Sioux Falls. In addition to his formal education, he has completed executive education programs at MIT (Executive Certificate in Management and Leadership), Harvard University (Senior Executives in State & Local Government), the University of Virginia (Senior Executive Institute), and the University of Oklahoma (Economic Development Institute).
Joshua is a member of the Urban Land Institute (ULI), the Ohio Economic Development Association (OEDA), the Council of Development Finance Agencies (CDFA), Ohio Council of Port Authorities (OCPA), and the International City Management Association (ICMA).
As CEO of BCFA, he leads the alignment of the organization’s vision, strategy, and resources to fulfill their mission of “Ignite the Butler County economy by attracting investment and creating jobs.”
To achieve that mission, Joshua collaborates with his Board of Directors, municipalities, financial institutions, non-profits, universities/technical schools, developers, business leaders, and other agencies to:
- Provide a financial toolbox to developers and municipalities to encourage development and redevelopment
- Leverage his knowledge of real estate, finance, economic development, and placemaking to assist communities in Butler County to become more resilient
- Market sites across Butler County by creating a robust web presence, and corollary marketing collateral
- Assist Butler Communities in business retention of existing industries, and attraction efforts of targeted industries
- Drive large-scale regeneration of abandoned or underutilized industrial sites to attract advanced manufacturing or mixed-use developments, primarily to the legacy cities of Middletown and Hamilton
In Joshua's prior role as City Manager of Hamilton (2010 to 2024), the city was widely recognized for its post-industrial revitalization and its ability to operate in a fast-paced, dynamic environment that required agile and innovative leadership. Joshua managed an annual All Funds budget of $400 million and played a pivotal role in attracting new businesses and spearheading major capital investments and development projects. Notable achievements include:
- Meldahl Hydroelectric Project, a $676 million investment that generates 105 MW of renewable energy from the Ohio River, and provides 51.4% of its generation to Hamilton, with the remaining 48.6% to American Municipal Power
- Spooky Nook at Champion Mill, a $165 million redevelopment project transforming a former paper mill into the largest indoor sports complex in North America. In addition to athletic facilities, the mixed-use project includes a 233 room hotel, multiple restaurants/bars/concessions, an arcade, medical & orthopedic space, retail space, and 250,000 square feet of conference space
- Negotiated a development agreement with Crawford Hoying to redevelop the former Cohen Bros. Recycling Facility, situated adjacent to the Great Miami River, into a $150 million mixed-use development. Initial plans include hotels, apartments, a food hall, and various commercial/office uses
- 80 Acres Farms, a state-of-the-art indoor vertical farm company that partners with industry giants Siemens, Ocado Group, and Priva, produces fresh, pesticide-free produce year-round using advanced LED technology and robotics. 80 Acres Farms located their world headquarters in Hamilton, Ohio and built their first full-scale, $40 million vertical farm in Hamilton's Enterprise Park
- South Hamilton Crossing, a $32 million infrastructure project that constructed a new overpass to eliminate a major railroad crossing, while improving safety and traffic
- The Marcum, a $16 million mixed-use development, that was the first new downtown residential project in over 100 years. The Marcum features 102 residential apartments, retail spaces, and several dining and drinking options. The same development company later built a complementary $14 million project on Main Street in Hamilton, the Rossville Flats, which features 76 residential apartments and 2-4 commercial spaces
- Main Street Hamilton revitalization, in partnership with CORE, initiated a multi-million dollar investment focused on acquiring/restoring several historic buildings, enhancing streetscapes, improving public utilities, while aggressively pursuing new businesses like Fretboard Public House, Billy Yanks American Bistro, Agave & Rye, 513 Bar, Hamilton's Urban Backyard (HUB), True West Coffee, The Farmer's Collective, and Aglamesis Bros. Ice Cream & Chocolate
- Marcum Park, built as downtown Hamilton's signature green-space in 2016, was honored as one of the "Great Public Spaces" in the American Planning Association's 2018 "Great Places in America" program, recognizing its role in enhancing community engagement and contributing to the city's revitalization. Adjacent to Marcum Park, is the award winning RiversEdge Amphitheater