Paris, Tenn.– L.I. Smith & Associates of Paris recently paid tribute to the enduring influence of company cofounder, Lucile D. Smith, with the dedication of the Lucile D. Smith Conference Room.
The dedication ceremony, a celebration of Lucile’s remarkable legacy, took place on Monday, October 30, at the LI Smith headquarters located on Caldwell St. in Paris. The Smith family and company staff members were joined by the Paris-Henry County Chamber of Commerce, McKenzie Chamber of Commerce, and numerous representatives from the community to commemorate the occasion.
LI Smith is located in a historic Paris building, the former Nobles Hospital. At the ceremony, everyone present posted for photos on the roof of the building.
Lucile cofounded LIS alongside her husband Larry Isham Smith in 1975. From then on, she not only played a vital role in shaping the company’s operations but also left an unforgettable mark on the state of Tennessee and the surveying profession as a whole. In 1987, Lucile achieved a historic milestone by becoming the first woman in the state of Tennessee to pass the state exam and earn her license as a surveyor.
Patrick Smith, LI Smith President and the son of Larry and Lucile, shared his thoughts on her contributions: “At a time when the engineering community was dismissing surveying from its ranks, my mom was discovering what the engineers missed: the art of surveying.”
Her influence extended beyond her licensure as she introduced many of the procedures used in boundary surveys and administrative practices still used at LI Smith. Her dedication to her profession was further demonstrated when she assumed the role of President of the company in 1996, leading a male-dominated team in a STEM profession. Lucile retired in 2017, but her enduring legacy continues to shape the future of LIS, ensuring her influence will be felt for generations to come.
The tradition of surveying runs deep within the Smith family, tracing back to Lucile’s great-grandfather, who was a surveyor. Her influence carried on through her first cousin, husband, and son, all of whom are licensed surveyors. Several of her children and grandchildren have also contributed to the surveying profession in various capacities.
The Lucile D. Smith Conference Room serves as a lasting tribute to an extraordinary woman who broke barriers and became a role model for the profession, community, and family.