LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD
3/25/2026 1:32:00 PM | General
Former Bear Foundation executive director Doug Smith honored by NAADD
By Jerry Hill
Baylor Bear Insider
WACO, Texas – Doug Smith, who spent nearly half a century in fundraising and retired in 2020 after 22 years at Baylor, has been named this year's winner of the Lifetime Achievement Award by the National Association of Athletic Development Directors (NAADD).
After serving as Executive Director of the Bear Foundation for 16 years, Smith transitioned to an administrative role as Senior Associate AD for Development and Major Gifts before retiring in November 2020. He also held athletics fundraising roles at Kent State, the University of Pacific, Cal State-Fullerton, SMU, New Mexico, Oklahoma and Rice.
"That's a long time, a lot of phone calls, a lot of meetings and a lot of asks," said Smith, who turned 80 in January. "But I've loved it. And the reason I loved it is the people. I never met a stranger, and I got to meet a lot of great people.
A native of Toronto, Canada, Doug came to the U.S. on a football scholarship at Kent State and was the Golden Flashes' leading receiver as a junior and senior. He earned his degree as a double major in geography and history and was initially hired as an admissions director and also worked in the alumni relations office until then-athletic director Mike Lude named Doug the first executive director of athletics fundraising at the university.
"Even when I was the assistant alumni director at Kent State, you were always told to ask people for money," Doug said. "So, that was 50 years of my life. I guarantee you, there is no one in the business today that's been in it as long as I was. No one even close."
Doug had a chance meeting with Fresno State's Lynn Eilefson at a National Athletic Fundraising convention in Beverly Hills, Calif., which led to him taking a position as the athletics fundraiser at the University of Pacific.
But more importantly, Eilefson – the 2001 winner of the Lifetime Achievement Award – taught Doug the volunteer team concept of fundraising that he carried with him to subsequent stops at SMU, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Rice and Baylor.
"The key, and it's been my philosophy my whole life, is if you're going to work and you're going to volunteer, you have to enjoy it. You have to look forward to it," Doug said. "We'd have these meetings and announce the winners for that week, and people could hardly wait to go out and tell their neighbor or business associate, 'Hey, I was MVP for the Baylor fund drive!' It was a lot of fun, and we had so many great people."
From meager beginnings with the Bear Foundation, Doug saw it grow to the point where the organization topped the $10 million mark with a then-record giving total of $12.7 million in his last year heading up the organization in 2013-14.
That was when the reins were turned over to Doug McNamee, who just returned to Baylor in December as VP and Director of Athletics.
"You can't walk up and down University Parks without seeing Doug Smith's impact on Baylor," McNamee said. "So many of the first-class facilities and scholarships Baylor has been able to offer our student-athletes are a direct result of his commitment and service. It is so great to see him recognized with this well-deserved award.
"On a personal note, I'll forever be thankful for the chance to work under Doug and for the valuable guidance he provided me."
A founding member of the NAADD Executive Committee, Doug was twice named the national fundraiser of the year – in 1990 by the National Athletic Fundraising organization and in 2011 by NAADD.
Doug and his wife of 34 years, Loraine, a former labor and delivery nurse, still live in Waco and have continued to support the Bears.
Along with the Rising Star Award winner Jordan Burbank of Texas A&M-San Antonio, Doug will be recognized at the NACDA Convention on June 9 in Las Vegas.
Baylor Bear Insider
WACO, Texas – Doug Smith, who spent nearly half a century in fundraising and retired in 2020 after 22 years at Baylor, has been named this year's winner of the Lifetime Achievement Award by the National Association of Athletic Development Directors (NAADD).
After serving as Executive Director of the Bear Foundation for 16 years, Smith transitioned to an administrative role as Senior Associate AD for Development and Major Gifts before retiring in November 2020. He also held athletics fundraising roles at Kent State, the University of Pacific, Cal State-Fullerton, SMU, New Mexico, Oklahoma and Rice.
"That's a long time, a lot of phone calls, a lot of meetings and a lot of asks," said Smith, who turned 80 in January. "But I've loved it. And the reason I loved it is the people. I never met a stranger, and I got to meet a lot of great people.
A native of Toronto, Canada, Doug came to the U.S. on a football scholarship at Kent State and was the Golden Flashes' leading receiver as a junior and senior. He earned his degree as a double major in geography and history and was initially hired as an admissions director and also worked in the alumni relations office until then-athletic director Mike Lude named Doug the first executive director of athletics fundraising at the university.
"Even when I was the assistant alumni director at Kent State, you were always told to ask people for money," Doug said. "So, that was 50 years of my life. I guarantee you, there is no one in the business today that's been in it as long as I was. No one even close."
Doug had a chance meeting with Fresno State's Lynn Eilefson at a National Athletic Fundraising convention in Beverly Hills, Calif., which led to him taking a position as the athletics fundraiser at the University of Pacific.
But more importantly, Eilefson – the 2001 winner of the Lifetime Achievement Award – taught Doug the volunteer team concept of fundraising that he carried with him to subsequent stops at SMU, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Rice and Baylor.
"The key, and it's been my philosophy my whole life, is if you're going to work and you're going to volunteer, you have to enjoy it. You have to look forward to it," Doug said. "We'd have these meetings and announce the winners for that week, and people could hardly wait to go out and tell their neighbor or business associate, 'Hey, I was MVP for the Baylor fund drive!' It was a lot of fun, and we had so many great people."
From meager beginnings with the Bear Foundation, Doug saw it grow to the point where the organization topped the $10 million mark with a then-record giving total of $12.7 million in his last year heading up the organization in 2013-14.
That was when the reins were turned over to Doug McNamee, who just returned to Baylor in December as VP and Director of Athletics.
"You can't walk up and down University Parks without seeing Doug Smith's impact on Baylor," McNamee said. "So many of the first-class facilities and scholarships Baylor has been able to offer our student-athletes are a direct result of his commitment and service. It is so great to see him recognized with this well-deserved award.
"On a personal note, I'll forever be thankful for the chance to work under Doug and for the valuable guidance he provided me."
A founding member of the NAADD Executive Committee, Doug was twice named the national fundraiser of the year – in 1990 by the National Athletic Fundraising organization and in 2011 by NAADD.
Doug and his wife of 34 years, Loraine, a former labor and delivery nurse, still live in Waco and have continued to support the Bears.
Along with the Rising Star Award winner Jordan Burbank of Texas A&M-San Antonio, Doug will be recognized at the NACDA Convention on June 9 in Las Vegas.
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