Quick Facts
Biography
S. Ryan Smith (born June 28, 1978) is an American billionaire businessman. He is the executive chairman and co-founder of Qualtrics, an experience management company based in Provo, Utah. Smith is also the majority owner of the Utah Jazz of the National Basketball Association (NBA) and co-owner of Real Salt Lake of Major League Soccer (MLS).
Early life and education
Smith was born on June 28, 1978, in Eugene, Oregon. His father, Scott Smith, worked as a university professor and his mother, Nancy Smith Hill, holds a Ph.D. in information systems. While he was attending Brigham Young University's Marriott School of Business, he founded Qualtrics with his father, and his brother, Jared. During his junior year he dropped out of school to spend more time working on Qualtrics, though he returned to school and finished his degree in 2016.
Sports team ownership
Utah Jazz
On October 28, 2020,Smith bought a majority stake in the Utah Jazz of the National Basketball Association (NBA) from Gail Miller. The sale also included Vivint Arena, the Salt Lake City Stars of the NBA G League, and management of the Salt Lake Bees. The sale was unanimously approved by the NBA on December 18, 2020.
Real Salt Lake
In January 2022, Smith and investor David Blitzer purchased Real Salt Lake of Major League Soccer (MLS) and America First Field, which included affiliate Real Monarchs and Zions Bank Stadium, from Dell Loy Hansen. The pair also reestablished the Utah Royals of the National Women's Soccer League (NSWL), which had gone defunct in 2020 and became the Kansas City Current.
Personal life
Smith lives in Provo, Utah, and is married with five children. He is a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and spent two years in Mexico as a missionary. In 2016, he was included in Fortune's "40 Under 40". As of September 2021, Forbes estimated Smith's net worth at $1.6 billion.