Rate My Professor Kenneth Smith

Kenneth “Ken” Smith, Ph.D., serves as Associate Professor of Business at Linfield University, joining the faculty in 2023. He earned his B.A. in accounting from Anderson University, M.B.A. from Ball State University, and Ph.D. from the University of Missouri. With more than 30 years of experience in the accounting industry and higher education, Smith currently acts as the managing partner of a growing tax and consulting practice in Central Oregon. During the 1990s, he worked for CPA firms in the Sacramento region, including one specializing in litigation support. His extensive career also includes significant leadership in professional organizations and public service. Smith is the president and co-founder of the Institute for Better Governance, past president of the Association of Government Accountants-Seattle Chapter, and co-founder and chair of the Oregon Public Performance Improvement Association. He was elected to the Northshore School Board in Washington, serving until 2017, where he contributed to financial management practices in public education.

Smith's research specialization centers on measuring the financial and non-financial performance of government and nonprofit organizations, with interests in how organizations use information and communicate among one another. He has published papers available on SSRN. In recognition of his contributions, he received the Lifetime Achievement Award for Government Accounting Research from the Association of Government Accountants in 2012. Additionally, in 2015, he helped the Seattle chapter of the organization earn the AGA Platinum Award for chapter-wide excellence in advancing government accountability. As part of his community service, Smith has been active in researching and consulting with public school districts on their financial management practices. His professional expertise bridges academia, industry, and public sector governance, enhancing performance measurement and accountability in nonprofit and governmental entities.