Charles Smith, who headed a Department of Energy office dedicated to small and disadvantaged businesses during the first Donald Trump administration, is also running it the second time around.
Smith was appointed director of the DOE Office of Small Disadvantaged Business Utilization in late January, according to his LinkedIn post. Smith led the office basically during the entire first Trump administration from January 2017 through Jan. 20, 2021, according to his LinkedIn page.
Smith then acted as a strategic advisor to a couple of different organizations between 2021 and January 2025, according to his bio. A U.S. Navy veteran, Smith has worked in senior manager positions for state and federal agencies as well as at J.P. Morgan.
During the Joe Biden administration, the DOE Office of Small Disadvantaged Business Utilization was headed by Ron Pierce.
