Quick Facts
Biography
Menlo F. Smith (born January 9, 1927) is a prominent St. Louis businessman. He has also been a leader in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) both in St. Louis and in the Philippines. He is also a benefactor of Brigham Young University and the founder of Enterprise Mentors International now known as Mentors, International.
Smith was born in St. David, Arizona. He graduated from the University of Utah. He is the founder of the Sunmark Corporation.
During the 1980s, Smith served as president of the LDS Church's Philippines Baguio Mission. There he saw many people living in poverty and suffering from having to borrow money at rates at times as high as 300%. After ending his service as mission president he formed Enterprise Mentors International as a 3rd world development and micro-credit organization. Besides helping people in the Philippines, it also has helped people start small businesses in numerous Latin American countries as well as in Africa.
From 1997 to 2000 Smith was the first president of the LDS Church's St. Louis Missouri Temple. He has also been a Regional Representative of the Twelve and a bishop in the LDS Church.
Smith served as a member of the board of directors of the Mercatus Center of George Mason University.
Smith is also a donor to BYU and recognized as one of the founders of the Center for Entrepreneurship of the Marriott School of Management.