DOUG SMITH

Since 2019, Doug Smith has led the Hampton Roads Alliance, a regional economic development organization representing 15 municipalities and more than 100 private sector investors. Before that, he served as city manager for Norfolk and as deputy city manager in both Virginia Beach and Portsmouth. Smith also served on Portsmouth City Council.

Additionally, he is a past president and CEO of Kaufman & Canoles Consulting. Before beginning his career in public service and economic development, Smith worked at First Union National Bank of Virginia (now part of Wells Fargo), ultimately managing 31 branches in Hampton Roads.

Guided by Smith, the Hampton Roads Alliance reported its best performance in 25 years, supporting 13 project announcements representing $625 million in capital investment and 2,860 new jobs. In 2024, the organization continued its momentum, supporting 13 project announcements encompassing $936 million in capital investment and over 1,000 new jobs.

A University of Virginia alumnus, Smith serves on the boards of the Hampton Roads Workforce Council, the Hampton Roads Executive Roundtable and other regional organizations. He’s also a board member for the Foodbank of Southeastern Virginia and the Eastern Shore.

This year, Smith received the Hampton Roads Community Action Program’s Community Builders Award, adding to other awards he has received in recent years, like the Hampton Roads Workforce Council’s Workforce Innovation Award in 2021.

To the next generation of leaders, Smith says, “The sign of a good leader is not how many followers you have but how many leaders you create.”