A dedicated member of the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) for more than 25 years and a civil engineer by training, Tom Smith served as the association's deputy executive director and general counsel before becoming the executive director and secretary in January 2015. Smith also serves as a director on the board of the ASCE Foundation. Responsible for the day-to-day management of the Society, Smith leads a staff of over 200 and an active volunteer workforce of over 10,000, facilitating ASCE's tradition of providing high-quality products and services to more than 150,000 members in 177 countries, in all civil engineering disciplines and at all points of their career paths.
Before joining ASCE, Smith practiced law in Northern Virginia with the firm of Hazel & Thomas, P.C., now combined with Reed Smith, LLP. While in this position, Smith focused on commercial, construction and land use litigation in federal and state courts, and land use applications for commercial, industrial and residential development.
In addition to his master's degree in structural engineering and bachelor's degree in civil engineering from the University of Virginia, Smith holds a law degree from Washington & Lee University. He is admitted to the bar in Virginia and the District of Columbia. He is also a Certified Association Executive (CAE) and an Envision Sustainability Professional (ENV SP).
Outside of ASCE, Smith serves as a trustee on the board of the United Engineering Foundation (UEF), where he serves on the Grants Committee and as chair of the Nominating Committee. He is a member of the American Society of Association Executives’ (ASAE) Key Professional Activities and Key Global Activities Committees, as well as the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Committee of 100, Chi Epsilon Civil Engineering Honor Society, and Order of the Engineer.
Actively involved in his community, Smith serves on the Board of Trustees of the National Park Trust, where he also serves on the Land and Park Preservation Committee, and he is a member of the Fairfax County Board of Zoning Appeals. He previously chaired bar association committees providing legal services to local homeless shelters as well as coordinating national moot court competitions. Smith has published articles on engineering ethics and legal issues and is a frequent speaker on association and civil engineering subjects.
In 2020, Smith received the University of Virginia Engineering Distinguished Alumni Award, and in 2011, he received the ASCE William H. Wisely American Civil Engineer Award.