George Smart Bio

Mr. Smart is the former Chairman of the Board of FirstEnergy Corp., a utility company based in Akron, Ohio. Prior to that, Mr. Smart was the President of Phoenix Packaging Corporation, a manufacturer of metal lids and closures for the consumer packaging industry. In 1993, Mr. Smart and a team of former managers from Central States Can Company founded Phoenix Packaging following the acquisition of Central States by Crown Cork & Seal. Phoenix was subsequently formed with an equity investment by management, the Ball Corporation, several Canton area individuals, and Dubilier & Co. in 1993. In September 2001, the company was bought by Sonoco and operated under the name Sonoco-Phoenix Inc. Mr. Smart was President of Sonoco-Phoenix from 2001 through 2003. Prior to founding Phoenix, Mr. Smart was the President and Chief Executive Officer of Central States Can for 14 years. Mr. Smart is a former director of Ball Corporation. He received his M.B.A. from the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School and graduated from Defiance College.