Pseudo-first-order rate constants ($k_{obsd}$) have been measured spectrophotometrically for the nucleophilic substitution reactions of 2-pyridyl thionobenzoate (5b) with alkali-metal ethoxides (EtOM, $M^+=Li^+$, $Na^+$, $K^+$, and 18-crown-6-ether complexed $K^+$) in anhydrous ethanol at $25.0{pm}0.1^{circ}C$. The plots of $k_{obsd}$ vs. $[EtOM]_o$ curve upward regardless of the nature of the $M^+$ ions, while those of $k_{obsd}/[EtO^-]_{eq}$ vs. $[EtO^-]_{eq}$ are linear with a positive intercept. Dissection of $k_{obsd}$ into $k_{EtO^-}$ and $k_{EtOM}$ (i.e., the second-order rate constants for the reactions with the dissociated $EtO^-$ and ion-paired EtOM, respectively) has revealed that the ion-paired EtOM is more reactive than the dissociated $EtO^-$, and $M^+$ ions catalyze the reactions in the order $K^+$ < $Na^+$ < $Li^+$ < 18C6-complexed $K^+$. The plot of log $k_{EtOM}$ vs. $1/r_{Stokes}$ results in an excellent linear correlation, indicating that the reactions are catalyzed by the solvated $M^+$ ions but not by the bare $M^+$ ions. The reactions of 5b with EtOM have been concluded to proceed through a six-membered cyclic TS, in which the solvated $M^+$ ions increase the electrophilicity of the reaction center and the nucleofugality of the leaving group.