Jobs for Grads

UW alumnus Matt Smith comes full circle with a new Laramie software engineering hub.

By Chad Baldwin

When Matt Smith graduated with a master’s degree in electrical engineering from the University of Wyoming in 1989, his employment opportunities in the state were quite limited, and he began his career in the aerospace industry as a systems engineer at Rockwell Collins in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.

Now, as CEO of Safran Passenger Innovations (SPI), one of the world’s three in-flight entertainment and connectivity companies, Smith is leading a development that could make it possible for hundreds of UW graduates to stay in Wyoming — and for many UW engineering alumni to return to the state.

Under Smith’s direction, SPI has opened a software engineering hub in Laramie, in collaboration with UW and its Office of Industry and Strategic Partnerships, the Laramie Chamber Business Alliance (LCBA) and the Wyoming Business Council (WBC). Operating temporarily in UW’s Wyoming Technology Business Center, the company already has 14 software engineers on the job, with plans to have 21 on board by the end of this year and up to 72 engineers at the end of 2025. Eventually, he hopes to have upwards
of 200 employees in Wyoming.

“We want to start out with a strong nucleus of software engineers with experience. We will then surround them with talent from recent college graduates,” Smith says. “It has always been a dream of mine to provide an opportunity for Wyomingites to stay home, providing a great career opportunity that includes significant growth for their future.”

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UW as a Launching Pad

Smith grew up in Riverton, the son of a uranium miner and a Montessori preschool teacher. His parents, Richard and Pat, instilled in him the values of gratitude, integrity and respect for others — along with a drive to pursue higher education.

He began his studies at UW in 1983 with the intention of becoming an optometrist, but he switched to electrical engineering at the encouragement of his uncle, Tom Shepherd, a 1976 UW electrical engineering graduate and longtime resident of Gillette.

“My undergrad certainly got off to a rocky start. I was by no means an ‘A’ student. I had to work extremely hard and study endlessly,” says Smith, who also has fond memories of the broader student experience, which included starting as a neighbor of UW basketball great Fennis Dembo in McIntyre Hall and watching Pokes games. “Engineering certainly didn’t come easy, but in the later years, the classes got more interesting and got me excited, and things became easier.”

During his senior year, Smith became close with longtime UW electrical engineering faculty members John Steadman and Francis Long, who also held various administrative positions in the college.

“The two of them really shaped my future and got me interested in getting my master’s degree,” Smith says. “Dr. Steadman had grant monies to develop a digital hearing aid. I have had hearing loss my entire life and have always had to wear hearing aids. I thought it was so exciting to help him do something that could help shape that industry and get a digital hearing aid I could eventually wear. I truly look up to the two, as they had a major impact on my life and got me ready for my career.”

When it came time for a job search — and knowing that the opportunities in Wyoming were limited — Long connected Smith with the director of engineering at Rockwell Collins.

“He was in Laramie to visit, and I happened to run into him,” Smith says. “We talked for several hours, and he described the perfect opportunity for me, so I took it.”

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A Career of Ascent

Smith’s career has been remarkable for its upward trajectory and impact.

After working for Rockwell Collins from 1989-1997, Smith went to work for Honeywell Avionics as a project engineer, responsible for all of the technical aspects of the CH-47SD helicopter. He returned to Rockwell Collins in 1998 and worked there until 2008, holding roles ranging from systems engineer in Bordeaux, France, and Montreal, Canada, to senior director of cabin systems and senior director of program management/content services.

He became the senior vice president of operations for Panasonic Avionics Corp. in 2008, based in California and responsible for all global operations and more than 2,500 employees. His tenure with Panasonic included the acquisition of Ku-band antenna technology for airlines and joint ventures with companies in Germany and Singapore.

He became the CEO of SPI in 2015, based in Orange County, Calif., which has grown from about 300 employees to over 650 in seven countries. Safran Passenger Innovations is part of France-based Safran, one of the world’s major aerospace companies with 92,000 employees across the globe.

“We are the newest of the three in-flight entertainment and connectivity companies. We started out with no airlines, and here we are today serving over 90 airlines worldwide,” Smith says. “SPI has changed the industry when it comes to connectivity. To date, connectivity has been tied to the hardware. We broke it away, just like is the case with your cellphone, to give the airlines a choice for service.”

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Full Circle

Along the way, Smith married his wife, Lois — they met while he was working in Montreal for Rockwell Collins — and they raised a son, Michael, who today lives in Chicago.

While Smith’s career has taken him around the globe, he has maintained ties with Wyoming and the Rocky Mountains. His parents still live in Riverton; his brother, Greg, is a longtime Laramie restaurateur; and his sister, Shawna, lives just across the border in Wellington, Colo.

When his company was looking to expand outside Orange County, corporate leaders initially pushed him to locate a new operation in Mexico, where Safran has thousands of employees. But he persuaded them that Laramie was a better option, after visits and meetings with UW, LCBA and WBC leaders.

The advantages include Wyoming’s favorable tax climate and financial incentives, along with the opportunity to collaborate with the university. Smith is particularly excited about President Ed Seidel’s artificial intelligence initiative and the opportunity to provide internships to help UW students earn money and at the same time promote SPI for future employment.

What lessons would he share with UW students from his career?

“Most importantly, treat people with respect and understand their perspectives. You must connect — it’s all about relationships,” he says. “Once you enter the workforce, you are not likely to be the smartest person in the room. It’s your emotional intelligence that will set you apart and create the greatest opportunities to grow.

“I truly believe in aptitude and attitude. Continue to learn and understand what you are doing, and love coming to work every day.”