VDA CEO M. Wade Smith to Retire and Take on New Roles

M. Wade Smith, CEO of East Hanover, New Jersey-headquartered vertical-transportation (VT) consultancy VDA^®, is stepping aside from the firm’s day-to-day operations to assume his new roles as chairman of the board and leader of the Key Accounts group. Smith began his career at Otis, transitioning to consulting in 1991 with what was then Lerch Bates and Associates. In that role, he was lead VT consultant on the original World Trade Center in NYC. Because of the project’s size, it was handled jointly with John Van Deusen & Associates (now VDA). Smith joined VDA in 1994 and purchased the company with three partners in 2010. He helped grow it from a medium-sized firm to a nationwide concern with more than 225 professionals in 35 locations. In retirement, Smith plans to spend more time with his family, including grandchildren Molly and Paddy. Look for an Industry Profile on Smith in an upcoming issue of ELEVATOR WORLD.