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INSPIRATION GENERATION kevin conroy smith A RISING ENTREPRENEUR CHANNELS HIS CREATIVITY ON A GLOBAL SCALE FOR HABITAT FOR HUMANITY. BY MEG MATHIS "I 58 Kevin Conroy Smith believes he can change the world with local events. PHOTOGRAPHY BY KATRINA WITTKAMP want to build the largest network in the world," says Kevin Conroy Smith, who's made a point of meeting three people a day every day since he was 16. It's a lofty goal for anyone and unexpected for an insurance agent. But Smith is just that, and he's passionate about providing a unique experience at his eponymous State Farm boutique agency in Logan Square, a paperless office where the 28-year-old Chicago resident serves Gatorade and provides health and nutrition classes to employees and even offers to pay for monthly yoga memberships. "I didn't understand why just because you worked in insurance you couldn't enjoy work," says Smith, who was inspired to follow his father's footsteps into the insurance business. "I was tired of our generation—the entrepreneurship generation of young kids—that kind of have a chip on their shoulder." Determined to remedy this, Smith has dedicated himself to organizations like Habitat for Humanity International, which State Farm supports. He's been active with the nonprofit's Chicago Executive Board for four years and launched its first Youth Board in Chicago after noticing an age gap among volunteers. It wasn't long before Habitat for Humanity International launched Youth Boards worldwide. "I believe that if you start local, you can make an international impact," says Smith, who is now the International Youth Board chair. "Instead of thinking really big, I think really small and just perfect it." On August 24, the Chicago Youth Board will host 3 Stops 4 Humanity, an invitation-only gathering that Smith launched in Chicago last year to build brand awareness. The altruistic event joins 30 of Chicago's most-influential youth for a unique day of hands-on experiences—last year's event featured a cooking class with chef Anthony Martin of Tru and a painting class at Bottle & Bottega. And leading up to the event, Smith contacted companies like Whirlpool and Valspar Paint, asking them how much they were willing to donate behind the scenes to Habitat for Humanity to get in front of key influencers. For this year's August event, he has already landed Pepsi as a lead sponsor and $50,000 in support. "To get a big brand to adopt this kind of thinking, we're literally shifting the way fundraising is done," he says. "We're adding new value." Last year's 3 Stops 4 Humanity raised $20,000, and Habitat for Humanity International took notice. "They were blown away with it because we had this idea that brands could now [be] part of charity events and actually get PR," says Smith. "It's unheard of." As Habitat for Humanity plans to implement these influencer events worldwide, Smith's social calendar is busier than ever. "It'll be a new wave in the industry," he says. "We've changed these executives at Habitat with young minds. It's been crazy." MA MICHIGANAVEMAG.COM 058_MA_SP_InspirationGen_SUMMER13.indd 58 6/18/13 12:42 PM