Lawrence M. Small

Lawrence M. Small was the President and Chief Operating Officer of the Federal National Mortgage Association and the 11th Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution.

Background

Small grew up in suburban New Rochelle, New York. He graduated from New Rochelle High School followed by Brown University in 1963 where he earned a Bachelor's Degree in Spanish literature. He held executive positions in Citicorp and Citibank before becoming the President and COO of the FNMA, a position he held between 1991 to 2000. [citation | title = Small Linked To Scandal at Fannie Mae | first = Kathleen | last = Day | first2 = Jacqueline | last2 = Trescott | publisher = Washington Post | date = | accessed = 2007-04-10| | url = http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/05/24/AR2006052402825.html] He is a director of the Chubb Corporation and serves on the boards of Marriott International, Inc., New York City's Spanish Repertory Theatre, the National Gallery of Art, the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts and the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars. [cite web | title = Lawrence M Small profile | publisher = Forbes | url = http://www.forbes.com/finance/mktguideapps/personinfo/FromPersonIdPersonTearsheet.jhtml?passedPersonId=940163
accessdate = 2007-03-19]

Time at the Smithsonian

The Smithsonian's Board of Regents appointed Small as the Secretary on January 24, 2000 on the strength of his management experience. They hoped he would be able to improve the institution's management and fund-raising, bringing a business style to what had traditionally been a very academic institution. He expanded the commercial sponsorship of museum exhibitions. [cite web | last = Chua | first = Jasmin | title = Crisis at the Smithsonian: Lawrence M. Small | work = Archeology | publisher = Archaeological Institute of America | date = September 19, 2002 | url = http://www.archaeology.org/online/features/smithsonian/small.html | accessdate = 2007-03-19] Roger Sant, the chairman of the executive committee of the Board of Regents, claimed that Small had helped raise $1.1 billion for the institution and contributed half a million dollars himself. [cite news | last = Grimaldi | first = James V. | title = Smithsonian Documents Detail Chief's Expenses | work = Washington Post | pages = A01 | language =en | publisher = The Washington Post Company | date = March 19, 2007 | url = http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/03/18/AR2007031801369.html?nav=rss_email/components | accessdate = 2007-03-19]

Small's plans were met with considerable resistance. In 2001, Small withdrew his proposal to close the Smithsonian National Zoological Park's Conservation and Research Center in Front Royal, Virginia after strong opposition from scientists. [cite web | last = DiVita | first = Lee J. | title = A close call for the National Zoo's Conservation and Research Center | work = Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association | publisher = American Veterinary Medical Association | date = June 15, 2001 | url = http://www.avma.org/onlnews/javma/jun01/s061501d.asp | accessdate = 2007-03-19 ]

In 2004, Small pleaded guilty to violating federal bird-protection laws (ESA, CITES, MBTA) by owning Amazonian tribal artifacts that contained feathers of protected bird species. [cite news | last = Rosenberg | first = Eric | title = Convicted museum boss still quibbling | pages = A2 | language = en
publisher = San Francisco Chronicle | date = February 17, 2005
url = http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2005/02/17/MNG7EBCPRQ1.DTL
accessdate = 2007-03-20 ]

In 2006, the Smithsonian agreed to a deal with Showtime to create Smithsonian Networks, a joint venture to create television programming with the Smithsonian's resources. Controversy over the deal emerged when it was disclosed that the network had the right of first refusal for commercial documentaries that rely heavily on Smithsonian collections or staff. [cite news | last = Wyatt | first = Edward | title = Smithsonian Agreement Angers Filmmakers | language = en
publisher = New York Times | date = April 1, 2006
url = http://www.nytimes.com/2006/04/01/arts/television/01smit.html?ex=1301547600&en=8293d567dfc155d7&ei=5090&partner=rssuserland&emc=rss
accessdate = 2007-03-29 ]

In 2007, Acting Smithsonian Inspector General A. Sprightley Ryan reviewed Small's expenses and reported that $90,000 of expenses between 2000 and 2005 were unauthorized, prompting the watchdog group Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington to call on the Attorney General Alberto R. Gonzales to investigate whether the spending violated federal law. [cite news | last = Trescott | first = Jacqueline | title = Group Asks Gonzales to Review Small's Conduct | work = Washington Post | pages = Page C03 | language = en | publisher = The Washington Post Company | date = February 28, 2007 | url = http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/02/27/AR2007022701996.html | accessdate = 2007-03-19 ] The U.S. Senate froze a $17 million appropriations increase for the Smithsonian, citing Small's compensation as excessive. On March 26, Small resigned from his position. [cite news | url = http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/sns-ap-smithsonian-secretary-resigns,1,3125555.story?coll=chi-news-hed | title = Smithsonian Chief Resigns Amid Criticism | first = Brett | last = Zongker | publisher = Chicago Tribune | date = March 26, 2007 | accessdate = 2007-03-26]

A subsequent independent report commissioned by the Smithsonian was highly critical of Small's "imperialistic and insular" management style, including documented resistance to sharing information with the Regents and the audit committee. It also disputed claims earlier made on Small's behalf (see above) on the extent of his personal fund-raising achievements. The Smithsonian in response acknowledged the need to institute reforms in its governance and oversight arrangements. [cite news | title= Report Slams Small's Tenure | first = James | last = Grimaldi |work = Washington Post | date = June 20, 2007 | accessdate = 2007-06-20 | url = http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/06/19/AR2007061902351.html?referrer=email]

References